Post by Narrator on Jun 29, 2015 21:39:04 GMT -8
Name: Lavender Cobalt Hopkin
Alias/Codename: Lavi-Cobalt, Deer-Dragon
Rank: Slave/Pet
Slave Registry: Registered Owner - Holocaust
Age: 25
Apparent Age: ...Adult?
Race: Deer-dragon? To be blunt, she's a Sprawl Mutt.
Appearance:
Standing at a mere two feet tall, the creature before you doesn't look like much. Hergreyed flesh and rust-red scales and fur aren't anything lovely, silvered flesh and gorgeous blue fur and scales are really something to behold, and her eyes, the lightest lavender you ever saw, glint with a keen intellect with two smaller pupils to either side and a little under the larger center ones.
What, you wanted more than that? Fine...
From her mother, she inherited her thick scales, soft fur, and small antlers. The scales provide a natural armor for Hopkin when she's on all fours, hard enough to block most blades and shaped well enough that a piercing attack is easily turned aside. Her antlers aren't overly useful at their current size, but her mother had a pair on her that grew around her head like a crown, and the two inner-most tines had grown together. It's unclear as to if the same will happen with hers; they do shed every two earth months.
Lavender's ears, eyes, and snout came from her father. His eyes were sharp enough to pierce even the inkiest darkness, thanks to a series of small, extra pupils; though fewer in number, she does have them, if one cares to look close enough. Her ears are, obviously, a specialization towards a much warmer climate than one might normally be exposed to, and she does sometimes suffer for them; they're also quite heavy and hard to move without using her hands.
Cobalt wears a beautiful, molten-silver colored collar that appears to be made of mercury. Holocaust sealed around her throat, and she wouldn't be able to take it off on her own. There are fine engraving upon it, reading: 'Cobalt', a bit of filigree, and then 'Owned by Holocaust'.
Personality:
Curious, playful, irrepressibly friendly. She's far too trusting for her own good.
She stands, for the moment, on her cat-like hind legs, her long, tufted tail swaying behind her a little as she studies you, though she'd been on all fours a moment ago, running about quick as a rabbit. Speaking of rabbits, she has ears much like one, only a little more frill-like, almost draconic, and definitely too big for her, reaching near her knees. Growing bored of you, she drops to all fours, briefly itching at her small antlers with her foot before scampering away... with your purse! Hey, when did she get that?!
Known Abilities:
She got a lovely singing voice and an impeccable sense of balance from both her parents.
She's begun to learn the ability to shape metal on a basic level. She is also quite agile and capable of seeing in near-perfect dark; her senses are also, understandably, animalistic. She can track by scent, and is particularly susceptible to pheromones and the like. If she cares to, she can lick (or bite, if she feels like it) a person and mark them with a pheromone to make it easier to track them; the scent becomes stronger the longer she nibbles on or licks somebody. Her sense of smell is incredibly sharp; her father had been a brilliant tracker, and, though a step below him, she gave him a run for his money.
Known History:
She's the result of a society in which only the worst fuck-ups get to see sunlight, and breeding is strictly regulated. Only those with potentially useful mutations get to breed, and her parents, while small, made the Checks.
Lavender is from a subterranean city known simply as 'The Sprawl' to her. This place is diversely populated by bi-peds, most of which lean towards animalistic. Those that most closely resemble humans are usually of 'noble' descent, and have organized themselves into a militaristic government, though not nearly as controlling as one might expect. She happens to have been born in the massive, circular area. the Grand Bazaar, from which five tunnels poke like spokes in a wheel. These are very much segregated areas, each having a purpose: the Noble's spoke is the longest, the most spacious, and closest to the surface; the Residential area is packed full with most of the lowest of the low by contrast. Between them is the Industrial complex, a long series of farms, breeding facilities, and refinement areas. On the other side of the Residential area is the Prison; those deemed unfit to breed or who are too unruly are sent there, and made to dig down until they expire. Sometimes, the prisoners are sent up to the surface, as well, but they never come back. The final spoke is that of the Entertainment district; you can find damned near ANYTHING to amuse yourself with there.
Lavender spent much of her time growing up in the Bazaar, traveling the jam-packed streets and shops with the bastard son of a noblewoman, usually carried on his shoulders. She had little to want for herself, despite her less-than-desirable circumstances; she had been born poor, but with a knack for the streets, and her small size lent itself to courier-work. She and her companion came into contact with a male named Niven, who owned the Pen and Quill- a book store in which one could find anything from advertisement pamphlets to true magical tomes - and settled in to work for him. The two shared a room in the store, with her sleeping either in her hammock or alongside her dear friend.
And for a time, it was good. However, unbeknownst to the pair, Niven and several others of influence in the Spokes had begun to plot, to overthrow the Nobles. Niven, you see, had been to the surface, and knew the nobles were keeping the others in squalor, limiting supplies severely for their own amusement. He began to train the unwitting pair in ways of espionage and used them to convey messages to the Spokes.
Until one day when a group of nobles found them in the Entertainment district. They had been tipped off somehow, and the pair, who had trusted Niven with so much, had relaxed their guard. When their parcels were upended and revealed to be weapons of bone and metal, none could have been more horrified than Lavender. However, her companion leapt into action, seizing a weapon and cutting down one of the nobles before fleeing into the sprawling cities. Lavender was left to deal with the others, who proceeded to attack her, and chase her down... and then she was gone. Fell through a hole in the world, apparently, and forgot about the hour before her departure from home, arriving in the Andromeda Galaxy feeling hung-over and woozy at first.
Her first day in the Andromeda Galaxy had certainly been an interesting one. She'd fallen into the UltraViolet Lounge, on a space station. She didn't know how she'd gotten there, she just did, ok? Anyway, first thing she did was snoop about until she found some cherries, albeit already spoken for by Lord Havoc. [f-list.net] He was a little intimidating, but damned if he wasn't a gorgeous man with even prettier lights all around him. What could a creature do but stare until he noticed, and offered her a pair of cherries. She'd wanted to linger and chat, but he'd shooed her off in such a sweet way, she forgave him almost right away...
She ordered a bowl of cherries from the waitress, knowing full well she couldn't pay for them, was told where she was- and kind of went into denial- and then made her way over to The Smile, her insatiable curiosity drawing her to him, despite the major creeps he was giving her earlier on. And decided she'd nest in the Lounge for the foreseeable future.She seems to have attached her hammock to the underside of one of the walkways, and is currently nesting there.
Shortly after Lavvie's first nap in her hammock under a walkway on the dance floor, she woke up to the she smell of something oddly interesting, and found the source to be a stranger. She didn't get a chance to talk to him- he'd been working, and then left, so she sat down and started to take stock of what she had- which wasn't much, and she soon fell asleep on the seat. Some time later, she stirred, and found out she had an outstanding debt of three credits for a bowl of cherries- and it was kindly paid off by one of the security members. She was then offered a job, and the man from before returned. She realized she'd misplaced her bag, and got a bit snippy at a waiter for a moment before apologizing. It occurred to the creature that she was without money or a legitimate nest, and she sought out the Hostess, Violet, again.
And was faced with the reality of where she was as Violet directed her gaze to the clear ceiling and the endless night sky, as well as the looming planet, Debar.
This breaks a creature.
Luckily for her, the man who smelled of home, though rough at first, didn't mind her diving under his table and trembling in fear as she struggled to comprehend what had happened. He reassured her she wasn't dead, got her to calm down simply by talking to her and teasing her a little. When he got a phone call, she panicked a tiny bit, and demanded to be taken with, insisting she could be of assistance.
When the man rebuked her, challenged her, she became a little too anxious to prove herself, and he likened her to a dog- a fact which made her frustrated. When she reacted poorly, he outright shut her down, and threw one last insult at her; that seemed to deflate her in her attempt to make herself feel better. She reminisced on nobles and her job as a courier, and it seemed to perk his interest for a second, but after she explained what she meant by 'noble', he revealed that the inky blackness was the outside she'd been so afraid of, and that it was actually all around them- they weren't underground at all. That sent her into another downward spiral, and he leaned in as she cowered under the table, just to twist the knife in a little deeper, uttering the words, "Yess... every direction. You're in a sea of nothingness and only suspended above it by the whim of this fragile vessel," drawing out a spark of hatred and a veil of melancholy... and then he left.
A few moments later, so did she, a half-formed plan in her troubled mind, nurturing that small spark even as the weight of her surroundings settled on her shoulders. She'd bear it, and be stronger for it, she swore.
After trailing the man from earlier to a ship bay, she felt a bit of hesitation and missed her chance to chase him down. Disappointed in herself, but also relieved, the female returned to the Ultra Violet Lounge, having no other place to go to, and sought out Violet. She'd been offered a job before, and it was still there for her. After a brief conversation, she agreed to start working for the place... after she got a meal.
For almost two hours, Lavi worked, meeting a few new patrons- one of whom would, by the end of the night, become a coworker- and it was rather uneventful. After turning over her ordering pad, she enjoyed the last few songs of the night, dancing happily and losing her cares and worries for a short time. She finally saw the illusive Havoc, but he was preoccupied. Still, she had tried to get him to come dance; failing that, she talked to Violet again, and found out that she could sleep in the 'crew quarters' in the back of the lounge.
That settled, she asked after a journal, and then helped clean up as Vi called closing time. Havoc disappeared into his room again, and Lavi was left alone again, still a little too wound up for rest. Perhaps a day out on the Station would assuage her fears of the wide-open skies...
Once outside, our lovely little adventurer set out on a quest to find a book-shop. Instead, she'd found herself down by the shuttle bay once more. Scowling, she'd hopped up onto a vending machine, and tried to catch a glimpse of something; having no luck, she moved to go find a map or information kiosk.
What she found was a tall fellow with broad shoulders and a dragon tat on his head. Now, back home, there weren't many tats. She was quite interested in that, and asked to see it better... to which he responded by picking her up by the scruff of her neck and complimenting her antlers before telling her that he could change the color of things. Skeptical, she challenged him...
And he turned her silver and blue, and told her he wanted to keep her. Startled by the change, she was a bit more curious and decided to indulge him a little. She asked his name- Holocaust, which was surprisingly fitting, given his appearance. Another woman approached, and stood silently for a moment or two while they talked, offering Cyda as her name- no, he couldn't call her Cobalt... yes, she was more blue now, but how about Lavi Cobalt...- and then said that Cobalt was a lovely name.
Holocaust seemed rather intent on 'keeping' the little deer-dragon, so much so that he wouldn't put her down, and, after inspecting 'Cobalt', declared her clothes to be rags and sent Cyda to get her new ones. The clothes she brought back were lovely, but Holocaust then decided he was taking her home... but then a thought occurred to him, and he tried to insist that she change, even going so far as to reach for her pants to attempt to rip them off. Being made of a fabric with little resistance, these tore easily even as Cyda suggested something Lavi would've agreed to.
Surprised and angered by her sudden nudity, the creature hissed, and lashed out, though Holocaust seemed to be being patient as he seized her antler and told her a leash would be something likely in her future. She'd swung herself up to wrap around his forearm, her tail coiling about his elbow as she debated clawing the fuck out of him... And then a feeling washed through her, one of calm and safety- courtesy of Cyda. This soothed the female quite a bit, and she seemed to open up to the thought of being Holocaust's 'pet'... on the condition that he left off the leash.
That seemed to settle it, and the trio went off to find a collar for the 'deer-dragon', Cobalt. Cyda found a beautiful, molten-silver colored collar that looked like it was made of mercury to the little creature. While waiting for her to purchase it, she questioned him on his sweet-smelling blood, and he said she could bite him. She thought about it, but shrugged it off for the time being, and then quietly accepted the collar, which he sealed around her throat. She wouldn't be able to take it off on her own; he then shifted it about, engraving 'Cobalt', a bit of filigree, and 'Owned by Holocaust' into it.
After she decided she was hungry, the lovely little Lavi made her desires known- Holocaust seemed a bit surprised, and then got distracted by one of the other lounge's workers.
...After that, she saw some things....
After that questionable experience and subsequent flailing, her co-worker asked if she was there willingly. Lavi realized how strange it all sounded, and started to question the eerie calm she felt. After a moment, she admitted that it was honestly the best she'd felt since she'd gotten here, and it would be more convenient for her if she had somebody feeding and housing her while she sought a way home. It may have sounded cruel, but, three days in, and little Lavi was still subconsciously avoiding looking up into the gaping dome of space above her, still trying to push the fear to the back of her mind.
After a trip to the Moon in a cat-crate with loads of lovely catnip that helped keep her calm with Cyda's help, Holocaust gave her a series of rooms and a courtyard. The next day, the trio - Holocaust, Cyda and Cobalt - returned to the Station, to go to talk to Violet. On the way up, Lavender told him things about her home, such as glowshrooms and sweetgrass. She expressed a desire to find her home, which saddened Holocaust a little bit- he wanted her to think of his home as hers.
Not meaning to hurt him, she reassured him with a little white lie. "I'm sorry, Holocaust; I meant home only as the place I was born. The others must be terribly worried, you know... I want only to make sure they know I'm safe." It wasn't a complete lie, but enough to weigh on her heart and mind when he told her that, while he didn't know how long she'd live, and couldn't extend it, but if he could have, he would. He liked the little beast.
They arrived in The Ultra Violet Lounge in short order, and found Violet within a few moments. Once settled into a larger booth and in a quieter place, they talked for a little while, and Holocaust and Violet discussed her continued employment. She'd work three days on, four days off, and stay at the work station to minimize travel. That was all good and great until Holocaust brought up that he didn't want Lavi on the station alone. He also mentioned something about Violet's hair- it was pretty, and he offered to make it sparkle.
To this end, Violet suggested that he get a VIP room, and asked what he could do or if he were wealthy. To that, he replied with a question: May I have two glasses? Lavi rose, and fought through the crowd while they discussed things she couldn't hear. She got to the bar, and then, rather than walk back around, she coiled around her presents, shouted, 'PASS THE BEASTIE!' and leapt onto the crowd, to be passed around like a beach ball. It didn't hurt until she chipped a canine while tumbling down near them. She was just in time to see Holocaust make an amethyst from nothing, crush a little of it, and sweep it into Vi's hair. She took the rest as payment for VIP status, and he turned one of the glasses into a hyper-diamond, and added that, too, to her hair. Then he made himself a pair of shades. They were about to go to their room when a karaoke singer popped up on stage. He had such a lovely voice that he had much of the club swooning.
In fact, Lavi half-wanted the exotic-looking male, and made little grabby paws at him. Holocaust chuckled as he put her back into her cat craft, especially amused when she asked if they could keep him. Vi beat them to the punch, though, hiring him on the spot, and then informing Lavi that Havoc wanted to see her. Of course, Holocaust didn't hear who it was, and she tried to get out of the crate, telling Holocaust she'd meet him again in a little bit.
And that's when things went a bit sideways.
Holocaust had fallen silent, but his stomping steps told all. When they got to the room, he flung her, in the crate, onto the table with enough force that when she landed, she snapped off one antler, and the tip of the other, exposing the nerves inside. She also bit into her tongue, and, while dazed, started to hiss. Violet left after a moment's hesitation, and then Holocaust began to reprimand Lavi. He shrank the cage around her as he told her she was bad and needed to ask before running off willy-nilly with men who gave her cherries. When he got no response, he violently shook the cage, and she demanded to be let out, and spat her mouthful of blood at him. He hurled her across the room again, and started talking, though Lavi wasn't really listening. By that point, that broken antler of hers was threatening to gut her, and she tried to talk reason to him.
Giving up on that mid-way through, the creature snarled, and told him it wasn't fair to kill her with her own antler... to which he responded, 'Good idea. Then you won't be bad anymore,' and promptly started tugging the oxygen from around her. Terrified of dying in a cage, Lavi did the only thing she could. She tried to get out.
Surprisingly, she succeeded. Her latent magic stirred, and she used it to deform the cage, and force herself out. It took all her will to force the cage open, and her world was quick to gain blackened edges. As one last defiant act, she spat out a bit of blood at Holocaust before passing out. She fully expected not to wake up, but she did, and found herself melded to the wall, unable to move. She demanded to be released, and, after a brief argument, Holocaust decided to suck the air from her lungs and drag her back home.
He left her alone in her rooms, still in the cage, and closed the rocks of the walls behind him, sealing her way out.
A couple of days after Holocaust absconded to his home with the rebellious Lavender, she managed to tug out the mostly-complete antler from its socket- it was time to shed, anyway, and she'd grown tired of waiting for Holocaust to come back. She'd not experimented further with her magics, and had been waiting in her cage for... anything to happen, really. As she started gnawing on the shed antler, the monitor in her room flickered to life, playing a broadcast from across the stars.
Lo and behold, it was the Captain, captured by a frightening man in an alabaster mask with diamond eyes. At first, she'd felt a bit of cheer at this- he was being punished for his cruel nature... but then it went further. And further still, to outright torture. Things little Lavi could have never thought up in her world underneath the humans' feet. She'd read about such magics and things that went bump in the night, but she never dreamed that she'd see a man's flesh cut so carefully away, only to heal and be torn off again. Horrified, Lavi watched as all manner of horrific things occurred (re: The Broadcast.) Unable to handle those sights anymore, the little beast threw the shed antler through the monitor, and started to call for Holocaust. He was by far less frightening than these, and he'd know what was going on...
But he didn't come. Unbeknownst to her, Holocaust was in his study, working on art. Choking back whimpers, Lavender couldn't believe her eyes as the monitor, though broken, flickered back to life, and the terrible spectacle continued. She couldn't handle it as she bore witness to some other woman appearing, and servicing the wounded captain. That was enough to make to little creature lose her lunch, and she collapsed into dry heaves and whimpers, begging the gods to make the scene end, and for Holocaust to come and let her out of her cage.
Finally, Holocaust emerged, attracted by the commotion at last. He immediately scooped up the terrified Lavender, rocking her gently. He seemed genuinely shocked by the images that had spilled out of the broken monitor, onto the walls, and afraid of the man on the screen. She clung to him, and explained what all had happened while Holocaust gently rocked her and explained that that was the Captain, the one that had rescued Holocaust from the man in the mask, named 'Heroslayer'- which, Lavender pointed out in an attempt at bravery, was a bitch-name. Maybe even that of a tool.
Holocaust hushed her, and told her that the man could hear her, and would come to her- it was clear that he obviously believed that, and, with what she'd just seen, the deer-dragon didn't exactly doubt him. She cuddled into him as the Captain gave a brave speech, taking heart in his words, and deciding that Holocaust was not that bad a fellow, especially with... what she'd just seen. Holocaust continued on to explain that, yes, the Captain could be an ass, but he was usually a nice guy. Lavender could still smell fear on him from the thing on TV, and hugged Holocaust about the neck as he told her he'd get the Captain to be nice to her.
Lavender cuddled against him, and asked him to be strong, and, if the captain was a nice guy, like he said, she'd be strong, too, and silently resolved to be a little nicer to Holocaust. She asked to sleep in his bed- she was still scared- and suggested that, maybe for the night, he could make her tail and scales glow. Apparently, he has moss for that, and, after wiggling a little, he tugged her remaining antler nub loose, and tossed it aside. The act helped him to calm down, and Lavi chuckled, saying she'd look like a true doe for at least a couple days. Which apparently made Holocaust question her gender. After a giggle over that, he took her to his bed, where they went to sleep, presumably with her curled up on his chest.
<That was a week ago...>
Family: None living.
Other Information:
Alias/Codename: Lavi-Cobalt, Deer-Dragon
Rank: Slave/Pet
Slave Registry: Registered Owner - Holocaust
Age: 25
Apparent Age: ...Adult?
Race: Deer-dragon? To be blunt, she's a Sprawl Mutt.
Appearance:
Standing at a mere two feet tall, the creature before you doesn't look like much. Her
What, you wanted more than that? Fine...
From her mother, she inherited her thick scales, soft fur, and small antlers. The scales provide a natural armor for Hopkin when she's on all fours, hard enough to block most blades and shaped well enough that a piercing attack is easily turned aside. Her antlers aren't overly useful at their current size, but her mother had a pair on her that grew around her head like a crown, and the two inner-most tines had grown together. It's unclear as to if the same will happen with hers; they do shed every two earth months.
Lavender's ears, eyes, and snout came from her father. His eyes were sharp enough to pierce even the inkiest darkness, thanks to a series of small, extra pupils; though fewer in number, she does have them, if one cares to look close enough. Her ears are, obviously, a specialization towards a much warmer climate than one might normally be exposed to, and she does sometimes suffer for them; they're also quite heavy and hard to move without using her hands.
Cobalt wears a beautiful, molten-silver colored collar that appears to be made of mercury. Holocaust sealed around her throat, and she wouldn't be able to take it off on her own. There are fine engraving upon it, reading: 'Cobalt', a bit of filigree, and then 'Owned by Holocaust'.
Personality:
Curious, playful, irrepressibly friendly. She's far too trusting for her own good.
She stands, for the moment, on her cat-like hind legs, her long, tufted tail swaying behind her a little as she studies you, though she'd been on all fours a moment ago, running about quick as a rabbit. Speaking of rabbits, she has ears much like one, only a little more frill-like, almost draconic, and definitely too big for her, reaching near her knees. Growing bored of you, she drops to all fours, briefly itching at her small antlers with her foot before scampering away... with your purse! Hey, when did she get that?!
Known Abilities:
She got a lovely singing voice and an impeccable sense of balance from both her parents.
She's begun to learn the ability to shape metal on a basic level. She is also quite agile and capable of seeing in near-perfect dark; her senses are also, understandably, animalistic. She can track by scent, and is particularly susceptible to pheromones and the like. If she cares to, she can lick (or bite, if she feels like it) a person and mark them with a pheromone to make it easier to track them; the scent becomes stronger the longer she nibbles on or licks somebody. Her sense of smell is incredibly sharp; her father had been a brilliant tracker, and, though a step below him, she gave him a run for his money.
Known History:
She's the result of a society in which only the worst fuck-ups get to see sunlight, and breeding is strictly regulated. Only those with potentially useful mutations get to breed, and her parents, while small, made the Checks.
Lavender is from a subterranean city known simply as 'The Sprawl' to her. This place is diversely populated by bi-peds, most of which lean towards animalistic. Those that most closely resemble humans are usually of 'noble' descent, and have organized themselves into a militaristic government, though not nearly as controlling as one might expect. She happens to have been born in the massive, circular area. the Grand Bazaar, from which five tunnels poke like spokes in a wheel. These are very much segregated areas, each having a purpose: the Noble's spoke is the longest, the most spacious, and closest to the surface; the Residential area is packed full with most of the lowest of the low by contrast. Between them is the Industrial complex, a long series of farms, breeding facilities, and refinement areas. On the other side of the Residential area is the Prison; those deemed unfit to breed or who are too unruly are sent there, and made to dig down until they expire. Sometimes, the prisoners are sent up to the surface, as well, but they never come back. The final spoke is that of the Entertainment district; you can find damned near ANYTHING to amuse yourself with there.
Lavender spent much of her time growing up in the Bazaar, traveling the jam-packed streets and shops with the bastard son of a noblewoman, usually carried on his shoulders. She had little to want for herself, despite her less-than-desirable circumstances; she had been born poor, but with a knack for the streets, and her small size lent itself to courier-work. She and her companion came into contact with a male named Niven, who owned the Pen and Quill- a book store in which one could find anything from advertisement pamphlets to true magical tomes - and settled in to work for him. The two shared a room in the store, with her sleeping either in her hammock or alongside her dear friend.
And for a time, it was good. However, unbeknownst to the pair, Niven and several others of influence in the Spokes had begun to plot, to overthrow the Nobles. Niven, you see, had been to the surface, and knew the nobles were keeping the others in squalor, limiting supplies severely for their own amusement. He began to train the unwitting pair in ways of espionage and used them to convey messages to the Spokes.
Until one day when a group of nobles found them in the Entertainment district. They had been tipped off somehow, and the pair, who had trusted Niven with so much, had relaxed their guard. When their parcels were upended and revealed to be weapons of bone and metal, none could have been more horrified than Lavender. However, her companion leapt into action, seizing a weapon and cutting down one of the nobles before fleeing into the sprawling cities. Lavender was left to deal with the others, who proceeded to attack her, and chase her down... and then she was gone. Fell through a hole in the world, apparently, and forgot about the hour before her departure from home, arriving in the Andromeda Galaxy feeling hung-over and woozy at first.
Her first day in the Andromeda Galaxy had certainly been an interesting one. She'd fallen into the UltraViolet Lounge, on a space station. She didn't know how she'd gotten there, she just did, ok? Anyway, first thing she did was snoop about until she found some cherries, albeit already spoken for by Lord Havoc. [f-list.net] He was a little intimidating, but damned if he wasn't a gorgeous man with even prettier lights all around him. What could a creature do but stare until he noticed, and offered her a pair of cherries. She'd wanted to linger and chat, but he'd shooed her off in such a sweet way, she forgave him almost right away...
She ordered a bowl of cherries from the waitress, knowing full well she couldn't pay for them, was told where she was- and kind of went into denial- and then made her way over to The Smile, her insatiable curiosity drawing her to him, despite the major creeps he was giving her earlier on. And decided she'd nest in the Lounge for the foreseeable future.
Shortly after Lavvie's first nap in her hammock under a walkway on the dance floor, she woke up to the she smell of something oddly interesting, and found the source to be a stranger. She didn't get a chance to talk to him- he'd been working, and then left, so she sat down and started to take stock of what she had- which wasn't much, and she soon fell asleep on the seat. Some time later, she stirred, and found out she had an outstanding debt of three credits for a bowl of cherries- and it was kindly paid off by one of the security members. She was then offered a job, and the man from before returned. She realized she'd misplaced her bag, and got a bit snippy at a waiter for a moment before apologizing. It occurred to the creature that she was without money or a legitimate nest, and she sought out the Hostess, Violet, again.
And was faced with the reality of where she was as Violet directed her gaze to the clear ceiling and the endless night sky, as well as the looming planet, Debar.
This breaks a creature.
Luckily for her, the man who smelled of home, though rough at first, didn't mind her diving under his table and trembling in fear as she struggled to comprehend what had happened. He reassured her she wasn't dead, got her to calm down simply by talking to her and teasing her a little. When he got a phone call, she panicked a tiny bit, and demanded to be taken with, insisting she could be of assistance.
When the man rebuked her, challenged her, she became a little too anxious to prove herself, and he likened her to a dog- a fact which made her frustrated. When she reacted poorly, he outright shut her down, and threw one last insult at her; that seemed to deflate her in her attempt to make herself feel better. She reminisced on nobles and her job as a courier, and it seemed to perk his interest for a second, but after she explained what she meant by 'noble', he revealed that the inky blackness was the outside she'd been so afraid of, and that it was actually all around them- they weren't underground at all. That sent her into another downward spiral, and he leaned in as she cowered under the table, just to twist the knife in a little deeper, uttering the words, "Yess... every direction. You're in a sea of nothingness and only suspended above it by the whim of this fragile vessel," drawing out a spark of hatred and a veil of melancholy... and then he left.
A few moments later, so did she, a half-formed plan in her troubled mind, nurturing that small spark even as the weight of her surroundings settled on her shoulders. She'd bear it, and be stronger for it, she swore.
After trailing the man from earlier to a ship bay, she felt a bit of hesitation and missed her chance to chase him down. Disappointed in herself, but also relieved, the female returned to the Ultra Violet Lounge, having no other place to go to, and sought out Violet. She'd been offered a job before, and it was still there for her. After a brief conversation, she agreed to start working for the place... after she got a meal.
For almost two hours, Lavi worked, meeting a few new patrons- one of whom would, by the end of the night, become a coworker- and it was rather uneventful. After turning over her ordering pad, she enjoyed the last few songs of the night, dancing happily and losing her cares and worries for a short time. She finally saw the illusive Havoc, but he was preoccupied. Still, she had tried to get him to come dance; failing that, she talked to Violet again, and found out that she could sleep in the 'crew quarters' in the back of the lounge.
That settled, she asked after a journal, and then helped clean up as Vi called closing time. Havoc disappeared into his room again, and Lavi was left alone again, still a little too wound up for rest. Perhaps a day out on the Station would assuage her fears of the wide-open skies...
Once outside, our lovely little adventurer set out on a quest to find a book-shop. Instead, she'd found herself down by the shuttle bay once more. Scowling, she'd hopped up onto a vending machine, and tried to catch a glimpse of something; having no luck, she moved to go find a map or information kiosk.
What she found was a tall fellow with broad shoulders and a dragon tat on his head. Now, back home, there weren't many tats. She was quite interested in that, and asked to see it better... to which he responded by picking her up by the scruff of her neck and complimenting her antlers before telling her that he could change the color of things. Skeptical, she challenged him...
And he turned her silver and blue, and told her he wanted to keep her. Startled by the change, she was a bit more curious and decided to indulge him a little. She asked his name- Holocaust, which was surprisingly fitting, given his appearance. Another woman approached, and stood silently for a moment or two while they talked, offering Cyda as her name- no, he couldn't call her Cobalt... yes, she was more blue now, but how about Lavi Cobalt...- and then said that Cobalt was a lovely name.
Holocaust seemed rather intent on 'keeping' the little deer-dragon, so much so that he wouldn't put her down, and, after inspecting 'Cobalt', declared her clothes to be rags and sent Cyda to get her new ones. The clothes she brought back were lovely, but Holocaust then decided he was taking her home... but then a thought occurred to him, and he tried to insist that she change, even going so far as to reach for her pants to attempt to rip them off. Being made of a fabric with little resistance, these tore easily even as Cyda suggested something Lavi would've agreed to.
Surprised and angered by her sudden nudity, the creature hissed, and lashed out, though Holocaust seemed to be being patient as he seized her antler and told her a leash would be something likely in her future. She'd swung herself up to wrap around his forearm, her tail coiling about his elbow as she debated clawing the fuck out of him... And then a feeling washed through her, one of calm and safety- courtesy of Cyda. This soothed the female quite a bit, and she seemed to open up to the thought of being Holocaust's 'pet'... on the condition that he left off the leash.
That seemed to settle it, and the trio went off to find a collar for the 'deer-dragon', Cobalt. Cyda found a beautiful, molten-silver colored collar that looked like it was made of mercury to the little creature. While waiting for her to purchase it, she questioned him on his sweet-smelling blood, and he said she could bite him. She thought about it, but shrugged it off for the time being, and then quietly accepted the collar, which he sealed around her throat. She wouldn't be able to take it off on her own; he then shifted it about, engraving 'Cobalt', a bit of filigree, and 'Owned by Holocaust' into it.
After she decided she was hungry, the lovely little Lavi made her desires known- Holocaust seemed a bit surprised, and then got distracted by one of the other lounge's workers.
...After that, she saw some things....
After that questionable experience and subsequent flailing, her co-worker asked if she was there willingly. Lavi realized how strange it all sounded, and started to question the eerie calm she felt. After a moment, she admitted that it was honestly the best she'd felt since she'd gotten here, and it would be more convenient for her if she had somebody feeding and housing her while she sought a way home. It may have sounded cruel, but, three days in, and little Lavi was still subconsciously avoiding looking up into the gaping dome of space above her, still trying to push the fear to the back of her mind.
After a trip to the Moon in a cat-crate with loads of lovely catnip that helped keep her calm with Cyda's help, Holocaust gave her a series of rooms and a courtyard. The next day, the trio - Holocaust, Cyda and Cobalt - returned to the Station, to go to talk to Violet. On the way up, Lavender told him things about her home, such as glowshrooms and sweetgrass. She expressed a desire to find her home, which saddened Holocaust a little bit- he wanted her to think of his home as hers.
Not meaning to hurt him, she reassured him with a little white lie. "I'm sorry, Holocaust; I meant home only as the place I was born. The others must be terribly worried, you know... I want only to make sure they know I'm safe." It wasn't a complete lie, but enough to weigh on her heart and mind when he told her that, while he didn't know how long she'd live, and couldn't extend it, but if he could have, he would. He liked the little beast.
They arrived in The Ultra Violet Lounge in short order, and found Violet within a few moments. Once settled into a larger booth and in a quieter place, they talked for a little while, and Holocaust and Violet discussed her continued employment. She'd work three days on, four days off, and stay at the work station to minimize travel. That was all good and great until Holocaust brought up that he didn't want Lavi on the station alone. He also mentioned something about Violet's hair- it was pretty, and he offered to make it sparkle.
To this end, Violet suggested that he get a VIP room, and asked what he could do or if he were wealthy. To that, he replied with a question: May I have two glasses? Lavi rose, and fought through the crowd while they discussed things she couldn't hear. She got to the bar, and then, rather than walk back around, she coiled around her presents, shouted, 'PASS THE BEASTIE!' and leapt onto the crowd, to be passed around like a beach ball. It didn't hurt until she chipped a canine while tumbling down near them. She was just in time to see Holocaust make an amethyst from nothing, crush a little of it, and sweep it into Vi's hair. She took the rest as payment for VIP status, and he turned one of the glasses into a hyper-diamond, and added that, too, to her hair. Then he made himself a pair of shades. They were about to go to their room when a karaoke singer popped up on stage. He had such a lovely voice that he had much of the club swooning.
In fact, Lavi half-wanted the exotic-looking male, and made little grabby paws at him. Holocaust chuckled as he put her back into her cat craft, especially amused when she asked if they could keep him. Vi beat them to the punch, though, hiring him on the spot, and then informing Lavi that Havoc wanted to see her. Of course, Holocaust didn't hear who it was, and she tried to get out of the crate, telling Holocaust she'd meet him again in a little bit.
And that's when things went a bit sideways.
Holocaust had fallen silent, but his stomping steps told all. When they got to the room, he flung her, in the crate, onto the table with enough force that when she landed, she snapped off one antler, and the tip of the other, exposing the nerves inside. She also bit into her tongue, and, while dazed, started to hiss. Violet left after a moment's hesitation, and then Holocaust began to reprimand Lavi. He shrank the cage around her as he told her she was bad and needed to ask before running off willy-nilly with men who gave her cherries. When he got no response, he violently shook the cage, and she demanded to be let out, and spat her mouthful of blood at him. He hurled her across the room again, and started talking, though Lavi wasn't really listening. By that point, that broken antler of hers was threatening to gut her, and she tried to talk reason to him.
Giving up on that mid-way through, the creature snarled, and told him it wasn't fair to kill her with her own antler... to which he responded, 'Good idea. Then you won't be bad anymore,' and promptly started tugging the oxygen from around her. Terrified of dying in a cage, Lavi did the only thing she could. She tried to get out.
Surprisingly, she succeeded. Her latent magic stirred, and she used it to deform the cage, and force herself out. It took all her will to force the cage open, and her world was quick to gain blackened edges. As one last defiant act, she spat out a bit of blood at Holocaust before passing out. She fully expected not to wake up, but she did, and found herself melded to the wall, unable to move. She demanded to be released, and, after a brief argument, Holocaust decided to suck the air from her lungs and drag her back home.
He left her alone in her rooms, still in the cage, and closed the rocks of the walls behind him, sealing her way out.
A couple of days after Holocaust absconded to his home with the rebellious Lavender, she managed to tug out the mostly-complete antler from its socket- it was time to shed, anyway, and she'd grown tired of waiting for Holocaust to come back. She'd not experimented further with her magics, and had been waiting in her cage for... anything to happen, really. As she started gnawing on the shed antler, the monitor in her room flickered to life, playing a broadcast from across the stars.
Lo and behold, it was the Captain, captured by a frightening man in an alabaster mask with diamond eyes. At first, she'd felt a bit of cheer at this- he was being punished for his cruel nature... but then it went further. And further still, to outright torture. Things little Lavi could have never thought up in her world underneath the humans' feet. She'd read about such magics and things that went bump in the night, but she never dreamed that she'd see a man's flesh cut so carefully away, only to heal and be torn off again. Horrified, Lavi watched as all manner of horrific things occurred (re: The Broadcast.) Unable to handle those sights anymore, the little beast threw the shed antler through the monitor, and started to call for Holocaust. He was by far less frightening than these, and he'd know what was going on...
But he didn't come. Unbeknownst to her, Holocaust was in his study, working on art. Choking back whimpers, Lavender couldn't believe her eyes as the monitor, though broken, flickered back to life, and the terrible spectacle continued. She couldn't handle it as she bore witness to some other woman appearing, and servicing the wounded captain. That was enough to make to little creature lose her lunch, and she collapsed into dry heaves and whimpers, begging the gods to make the scene end, and for Holocaust to come and let her out of her cage.
Finally, Holocaust emerged, attracted by the commotion at last. He immediately scooped up the terrified Lavender, rocking her gently. He seemed genuinely shocked by the images that had spilled out of the broken monitor, onto the walls, and afraid of the man on the screen. She clung to him, and explained what all had happened while Holocaust gently rocked her and explained that that was the Captain, the one that had rescued Holocaust from the man in the mask, named 'Heroslayer'- which, Lavender pointed out in an attempt at bravery, was a bitch-name. Maybe even that of a tool.
Holocaust hushed her, and told her that the man could hear her, and would come to her- it was clear that he obviously believed that, and, with what she'd just seen, the deer-dragon didn't exactly doubt him. She cuddled into him as the Captain gave a brave speech, taking heart in his words, and deciding that Holocaust was not that bad a fellow, especially with... what she'd just seen. Holocaust continued on to explain that, yes, the Captain could be an ass, but he was usually a nice guy. Lavender could still smell fear on him from the thing on TV, and hugged Holocaust about the neck as he told her he'd get the Captain to be nice to her.
Lavender cuddled against him, and asked him to be strong, and, if the captain was a nice guy, like he said, she'd be strong, too, and silently resolved to be a little nicer to Holocaust. She asked to sleep in his bed- she was still scared- and suggested that, maybe for the night, he could make her tail and scales glow. Apparently, he has moss for that, and, after wiggling a little, he tugged her remaining antler nub loose, and tossed it aside. The act helped him to calm down, and Lavi chuckled, saying she'd look like a true doe for at least a couple days. Which apparently made Holocaust question her gender. After a giggle over that, he took her to his bed, where they went to sleep, presumably with her curled up on his chest.
<That was a week ago...>
Family: None living.
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