Very Good Bad Thing

Zorra Liakris:

I gaze around at everything and everyone feeling distant from it all. Like I was just an observer with nobody home upstairs.

Dad was... dead... And now... Everything was different...

I just... wasn't sure how to feel...

Suddenly my dissociative nothingness is interrupted by HIM. ('Carry' Constantine Foxe)

Stares and shrinks back bumping into other liberated scientists and nurses, some of who glance at me for stepping on them.

That monstrous spider demon! He was here!

I always felt so weird when he fought in dad's arena. Something about seeing a demon in the flesh made my stomach feel ill...

And now he was here... Only glass separating us... Glass he could shatter and then devour us all with his disturbing digestive fluids.

Zones out, shaking, thinking of the drool dripping off his monstrous forms fangs.

Alue Liakris


The old King and Lola's only daughter, she rejects Sorin's takeover and refuses to be added to his stepchildren.


Lola is selfish and  throwing her daughter under the bus, telling Sorin she is a rebel rouser who she doesn't support.  


Alue takes some of her father's most loyal members and tries to hold the line in the old ruined castle that fell during the last war.


She plans to fight Sorin's reign and take his head and her bitch mother too.

Carry:


I STARE at a girl who had a pretty strong reaction to me. 

I think it was one of the old man's daughters.

I feel bad for her, maybe she saw him die. Its always hard when Sorin takes over a planet..

"Hiii.."

*tries to smile not noticing teeth are all pointy from being mid shift along with tiny spider eyes protruding from my face so I can SEE heat off everyone since my eyes are near blind*

(Solider): "Hey you, the new King doesn't like lax. Keep going. Test the next one. The man in the back."

 A solider blocks her from me to try to move her along.

Zorra:

I hear a greeting in my hazy zone out. "Hi?" I respond out of it. I try to make sense of what was going on but felt so ill from everything.

Suddenly the glint of his teeth caught my confused out-of-it attention. The monster... Oh... Oh my... He's... looking at me.

I feel faint and nauseous.

I clap my hands over my mouth, my pale white skin paling further, and my earwings fold over my eyes and my back wings fold over my arms across my front as if it could hide me from his gaze like that of the blocking out the world to sleep.

A soldier disturbs my cocooning. I fight back tears and hold back my nausea as I'm warily moved along. "Sorry.. I'm sorry."

I keep my eyes down as I reach the guy (Raginbar).

I look away at the other nurses and scientists to see what they're doing and shakily pick up the stuff to test.

'H-hi..." Tries to look at the guy but gives up, my head drooping weakly.

Raginbar:

I nervously look everywhere but her.

Lots of 'hi' going on. Must be the culture.

"Hiiii." I mimic back and don't put  my hand up to the slot for testing just yet.

The female was from here, maybe I could distract her with the loss of her home and all.

Unless she was a Starker zealot, then she'll know surely. All that spiritual awareness and all.

"Uh your.."

*makes hand gesture to whatever alien anatomy is visible*

"all very pretty." I say in the fake accent. 

Trying to stall the test...as long as I could..

Etta could do this better.

"Who do I have the pleasure... meeting?" I slip up some English accent in there from worrying about my sister yet again.

Zorra:

That was unexpected... Given all the horrors currently on the mind.

"Oh, uh... Thank you."

I finally look up at him and am a bit surprised that the compliment came from one of the fighters. Given that fact, and that it was my father who would have put him into his arena, I blanche at the question and look down again. If it was any other time I wouldn't have thought twice at the question. But now father was dead and these people can kill me at a moment's instance. Would I end up on a wall though if someone else told? Or would it be better to say, and I actually live... just get married off instantly... Or what if I'm sent off to some demon-infested hell hole?  Er... Maybe death was preferable.... To any of this... 

"Zorra."

I close my eyes briefly wondering if I don't want to see what comes next. I can just imagine him strangling me through the slot.

No... I wanna see death come at me... Let us see each other's eyes as mine go white.

I look back up at him.

"Zorra Liakris... And you are?"

Raginbar:

I lose my nerve seeing her reaction to her name. 

Her full name. 

It felt very familiar. She expected the worst reaction to it. 

If she thinks Liakris is a bad, she should try my last name...

I thought about complementing her name, it sounded like a goddess, but she asks mine and I freeze up.

"I.."

(Cadenza): "Ephriam!" A women answers for me. I assume this is Carry's sister. 

She bypasses him for me.  She opens the glass to hug me and I FLINCH at the emotional waves of love.. disgusting. 

Not to mention ...spider. Scary spider female.

Digestive.. juices...germs   

(Morgain): "wait hes not.."

I get pressed to the wall by the throat, since she can tell I am not her husband now.
I lean back into the wall quite athapthic if they were going to behead me or not.

(Cadenza): "Where iss Ephriam?!" 

"I don't know....I haven't seen him since the wedding.. "

I say testy before the disappointment and betrayal in Carry's voice makes me feel truly... bad.

(Carry): "Raginbar.."

He just had a way to make one feel so ..many things. And want not to disappoint. As fake as it was to be Effy. It was nice to have a real friend. 

I look away from him to Sorin. He looked like he just won a bonus with the new kingdom..

Carry storms out , followed by his sister who probably got so many GERMS off me opening the glass like that.

I take hand sanitizer off the table - almost getting shot scaring some soldiers it was a weapon.

I rub my hands together all OCD over touching that BLACK WINDOW.

(Sorin): "Splendid we' can ensnare the Erkbloods next!"
He said looking at me like a piece of meat. 

(Little Bythe): "Vampiresss!" She perked up excitedly by Sorin's side. Looking at me wide eyed. Like I was one.

If I was one everyone would be dead... I was just their 'chosen one'.

I look away from the girl disturbed as Sorin smiles at her. 

Another one of his children charges... hope she ends up better then me..doubtful
I think of Etta again.

"He moves fast with these conquests.. who really is the overlord hmm?" 

I say to the nurse in sarcasm.

Zorra:

He doesn't react negatively. As I ponder this, I feel a chill curl up my spine that puts me on edge as a woman passed me. But before I could even try to dissect why she suddenly gets all aggressive with the guy. The demon spider-man joins in and I stare in horror as it clicks with their similar scents. She's one too.

I guess this 'Raginbar' must be their slave and both spider hellspawn are blaming her mistake on him because they can.

As if I didn't feel ill enough as it was, I watch dizzily with bated breath thinking she's going to force her digestive enzymes into him and slurp him up right then and there as he's helplessly pressed against the wall.

I feel so sorry for him having such fiends as his taskmaster. Surely even being an amazing gladiator for my father was better than that fate. No wonder he greeted me so nicely.

He survives and the monsters leave. I let out a relieved breath.

I glare at the soldier who almost shoots him when he tries to get clean after such a physical close encounter.

There's talk about other creatures which is interesting and all but right now I just want to help the guy.

I give a nod to his comment.

"Yeah... Really does..."

I glance around wondering if I could get him something. People like the spiders were leaving and I glance to their holding cells wondering if there was anything different anywhere.

"Can I get you anything? Maybe I can collect more sanitizer? Or.. A bucket?" I offer. In case he wants to bathe in the stuff to get rid of any sick skin-crawling sensations that he must be experiencing.

I look back at him wide eyed sadly and privately message scared the king will get mad at me.

(('Y-your so brave.))

He really was. He didn't pass out or anything.

((I feel super ill just looking at them and sensing whatever demonic arora they have, I can't imagine what you must be feeling after being touched and threatened by one of them.))

Raginbar:

The pretty one with the wing ears asks if I need more sanitizer or a bucket.

I did not think of that, did they not have a Decontamination room?

Makes sense, savage behavior and all. I doubt the old man cared about germs.

"Please. Bucket."

I reply and look around, the laboratory didn't look primitive at least. 

(Sorin): "Where's the vampires, any here?" He asks coming over to me, looking amused at my germaphobia. 

He mates all these crazy captured wives, he must be filthy...

"No they wouldn't have saved me by now... they must not be able to get in.. "

The old man's shields seem quite well. I wonder if they can even feel my mind.

"My ring.. however is here. It was taken when I was caught."

I disclose to show some sign of usefulness.

I look down at the women calling me brave a little embarrassed.  

She probably is confusing me for another fighter.


(Sorin): "Your being reaaal corporate Ragweed, you must have really got it bad from Vyrak..would you really help destroy your coven?"

I just stare at him, if the vampires didn't save me all this time then I did not expect them to save me from him either. They think I'm dead. They must have moved on with Etta.

"I dont want to be bound to the coven, I didnt ask for it.. I'll help you, if you let me live."

I lower my gaze feeling selfish. If I was gone, If Etta was gone they would all have no vessel. 

(Sorin): "You being dead would help me alot more.."

"Not necessarily. If they moved on to someone else...you'll have to get her back too before they restart it through her... my sister saw Effy last too.." 

I add in trying very hard to convince him to help her.

(Sorin): "We'll see if your worth the effort.." He mused with a shrug. "I have a wedding to see too for now.."

He smirked at me and did a hard playful nudge before sliding the glass back down.

But I feel like he KNOWS he cant let the coven get Rosetta. I believe he will send someone...maybe..hopefuly. 

I inch back at the GERMS.

There's not enough hand sanitizer in the world for that honeymoon...

Zorra:

I go look for a bucket and wash it. Then grab the sanitizer bottles from the empty cells. As I did, I overheard the two talking.

It was quite fascinating. I always enjoyed learning about the biology of different species. How could I not? I grew up watching all the varying specimens my father trafficked into his arena.

Even trying to understand the terrifying spider demons was a... unique experience in its own right. Something about them freaked me out at a deep primal level that was probably akin to a very rational and genetically passed down phobia brought on by ancestors that witnessed others disintegrating to their terrible digestive fluids. That or a learned behaviour by my people's heritage and history perhaps?

I listen as Raginbar and the conquest king talk about destroying Raginbar's 'vampire coven'.

Hmmm...

I wash the outside of the sanitizer bottles not trusting them to be clean after being in cells that contained who knows what, (and I know at least one was probably used by a spider-demon... maybe... if spider-demons even cared to use such a thing), and put them in the bucket, then once the king is gone I bring it over.

"I... washed everything..."

I offer then look at the closed glass, then at the bucket.

Err...

I quickly consider my options and balance the bottom of the bucket on one hand while opening the glass in the other and try to carefully move it in without touching it with the hand that touched the glass.

Raginbar:

I consider my talk with Sorin, overthinking most of it and how I could have done a better job of explaining. Trying to explain..

What did I want to explain?

I felt like an accessory, passed around. My memories of being 'raised' by Sorin appear to have went to Rosetta. Even parts of our memories split. What is me or mine seems lost.

My kidnapping by Cherry for her warped wedding party to be saved by the coven, they promised to protect me, build me an empire and what have I seen so far? To be cloistered away while they 'worked'.   The English, the elite.

Kidnapped so many times over. The old wolf king the latest one in a long line. I felt disenchanted by everything and everyone I dont want to be Lord, I dont want an empire, being one of Sorin's collectables may be more a mercy then a vampire's pet because I will be.. forgotten. 

I couldn't leave Rosetta to my fate though it.. would be so much worst for a female..
I cant imagine... 

I open my eyes and see the pretty female again behind the glass. I forgot about the bucket.

"Oh th..ank you."

Someone slides a barcode card at the scanner to save her the trouble of getting inside the hard way.

(Morgain): "There you go, your Liakris's daughter.. arent you? 

I look at the man, who I remember to be very intense dark and brooding with a bald head, very intimidating...full of secrets.. he looked more posh now. Wonder what happened? 

I narrow my  gaze not quite trusting him. 

(Morgain): "I mean no harm, I wanted to welcome you into the family. You are a princess in your own right. Just not in the same way as Alue...but Alue doesn't know the laboratory aspects quite as well as you my doe. And I have heard the .. old King really had quite a record of ..specimens kept."

I wonder what hes looking for. 
I watch him make a gesture with a cane.

(Morgain): " Oh but I'll let you...finish up with your patient before I get to the..good news we have planed for you.. " 

I move away from the door so she can come in. I felt a bit awkward, she could be getting some bad news after all.. considering.  Having these creatures over you, dictating what happens next was our sorry lot in life it seemed, the both of us.

((Do you want me to play sick to bide some time?)) I offer understanding how that's like.

Zorra:

I get some help from another person.  "Thanks." I tense at the question but power on and stubbornly answer regardless with a set expression. "Yes. One of them at least." And really who knows how many there are at this point? Lola sure acted as population control. "Zorra."

I listen softening a bit at what he says intrigued. "He did, indeed." Hmm... At least maybe it won't be all terrible here after all. Though I can't but look away saddened a bit. Dad's death was so fresh and all...

I look from the ground to the door and come in, and slightly smile sadly at the offer.

(("Thanks... But it's okay. Who knows what they'll do if they catch us."))

I hold out the bucket and politely advert my gaze.

(("Want me to stay here a bit. To block the glass view?")) I ask, since he was a gladiator. He probably had a... lot to clean off....

Raginbar:

The pretty female doesn't want me to play sick. Shame. It might have been enjoyable for her to play doctor then.. some of the others here.

I think of the man, Morgain....

((Well if I ever get really sick, I wouldnt mind your check up..Miss Zorra.)) I reply back.

She offers to block the glass but I shake my head a little kneeling down to get started with my classless bath.

((I can take it from here..)) I say very used to being watched doing.. everything by the vampires. Privacy is dead when your a chosen one.

Morgain waits patiently for her to come back.

I panic a little expecting him to tell her she has to marry him or something...

(Morgain): "I'm Morgain Quince, you may notice ..quite a few of the old staff have been removed.. as a sign of good faith between the Medical Guild and yourself and your people.. we want you to be in charge of this lab.. keep it in the family..so to speak" 

He locks me back in and offers her the card. 

Hm there has to be a catch..

I continue to clean myself and try not to think ahead too bloody much.

Zorra:

I smile at that. He seemed like a nice person.

((And I wouldn't mind you as my patient.))

I guess being in here might be more awkward.

((Alright.))

I exit and look to the guy who identifies himself as Morgain and glance around as he mentions some of the old staff being gone.

I wasn't sure what to feel, but I knew it wasn't going to be grateful for a pity gift after killing my father.

"I see." I take the card. "Thank you... for giving me a set target place so my psycho bitch of a mother-in-law can know where I will be... So she can kill me."

I look past him.

"You asked about the specimen records? I guess we should get to that now?"

Morgain:

I smirk a bit impressed the little thing wasn't so docile after all.

We haven't been here too long, outside what Carry gathered and that was very little of Lola herself but so far, I have heard some very alarming things from multiple people.

I do wish Sorin would reconsider... but then again how long do wives last for him?

"Dont you worry your fuzz, King Sorin wont let anything happen to you.. and anyway Lola will be moving soon wont she? Play it right and you could be greater then them both.."

Ah yes about the specimen records.

I show her the request from Sorin. It was Shard. Supposedly he was rumored to be here hiding among the blonde gladiators due to Boren's energy he was hard to generically pinpoint even on the most advantage scans. They might just have him as a unknown alien mix.

Speaking of unknown aliens..

"I have one off the record too...have you any on the feline spectrum side fighters? Ideally ones with stripes not manes..  "

Zorra:

Play it right? Greater than them both?... Is this some sort of tactic speel to get conquered kingdoms in line? Trying to give hope at the lowest moment with empty speculative suggestions of grandeur? Ugh... another thing to not be grateful for.

I look down at the request.

Oh yes... Him...

....

There was so much emptiness... But does this at least inspire... Something?...

Do I actually give him up or let him rot on the wall so they don't get to take even more from me?

One little innocent act of rebellion... by denying the evil spider people's lords such a treasure... At least a little while longer... I'm sure they'll find it and check it out soon if they aren't already but... Maybe if I'm lucky he'll be dead by then...

Besides... there's plausible deniability... with that bag covering his face.

Or should I actually go along with their empty 'play it right' garbage if it was inevitable anyway?

I wonder if we did a line up of the gladiators would they all rally and kill everyone who looks in charge thinking they have a chance in the chaos of the change in leadership or would they be grateful to the slayers of their former master?... Everything is so... different now...

He asks about stripped felines. I decide to give him this so it looks like I'm actually trying and am not just useless and thrown to the spiders for dinner.

I answer in monotone. "Oh yes. We do. Very memorable that one. He left quite an... impression in the arena. Though good or bad is up to interpretation... Being a strong feline in a Lycan's domain and all."

Roughly bumps my shoulder into him, as if it was playful, and not me actually using it as an excuse to hit someone from the Kingdom who wasn't a disgusting and horrid spider.

"Woof, woof." I wink. Ugh.

I look back at the request.

It was... from the new king... and all. What would make me feel worse... Or feel... anything...

Going along with it or not going a lot with it and getting replaced or worse. Fed to the spiders if they found out. Poor Rags and the others though who could have been under my care...

They might even be reading my mind right now... They're spider demons after all. Maybe they can peer into one's soul and just know lies and sins and whatever... 

Rotting meat. Mentally curses. Spider's shit.

"Yeah... Dad has him on the wall of his trophy room."

I consider the moonrock mask...

"...I can take you to him."

Morgain:

She seemed... fun. 

And the fuzzy face wing eared female even has SEEN a tiger!

"Oh have you ever watched a fight? Did he..bite anyone...sill alive?" I gather more intel for my own little mystery... that I cant remember. 

I lean in closer at her 'woof woof' taking it as a flirt. 

"We're you a fan of the tiger too? Or was he a little too much..?. Grrrr." I playfully growl while biting my lip quite wondering if she being a canine would also have a ..negative reaction like me to such a creature. Or was it just me..

She doesn't know I was a priest after all. its not something I dress up as not out on spying missions to the colonies. 

I hear about a trophy room we haven't discovered yet. I'm not quite sure in her vagueness was I going to get Shard or my tiger. Either way I would be happy.

"Well lead on princess.."

Zorra:

What a... Specific question...

Just when I thought I was going to try to get into some sort of biology discussion with this guy, he got weird on me.

Ugh, I preferred hanging out with the vampire patient. Which one might think would have been more... awkward I guess given him being one of my dad's gladiator. But at least he isn't... Whatever this is. And he was also apparently an outsider to this kingdom too.

"Down doggy."

I eye Morgain's nose and give in to the strong urge to boop it.

Next time I'll flick it, I think to myself. Flicking the nose will hurt.

I stop eying him when I remind myself to me horror he seemingly works along with the spiders. A fate worse than death would happen.

"Bad, 'bad' dog." I shake my head, leaning towards him. Trying to play off the light bop.

I turn away and look ahead as I lead the way.

Of course, I had perfect memory recall but I was already giving these invading conquerors more than enough, so I don't go out of my way to be more meaningful in my answers.

"Yeah, I saw him. First vampires and now feline canines, your kingdom has a thing about teeth, eh? As for 'fan', a bit, yeah. He was intriguing from a scientific point of view. But also those abilities of his kept me guessing what was going to happen next. Made it exciting and fun."

I bring him to the hidden room and open it.

Zorra:

I feel my joints tense and lock up before I even land hard and go skidding across the room, stopping and wincing when the back of my head smacks into a wall.

I find myself unable to move. Frozen in fear and fully expecting to be killed. Punishment for him being on my father's wall.

He turns to me and I yell out in pain as the mask's moonrock shines at me.

"Ahhhh!"

I feel my body contort against my wishes. Pressure in my torso and my neck and shoulders hunching. I move my head side to side, grimacing and eyes watering.

The figure suddenly heads off and I roll over and completely collapse on the ground in exhaustion, only partially transformed and it feels like agony and shake from the whole experience.

I hear sounds (magic blasts) but can't be bothered to move to look. It could kill me now and all that would matter would be that this would all be over now.

All I do is try to painfully breathe through the jigsaw of bones

Zorra:

I gasp both in pain as a burst of transformation pain hits me when the mask is shot at me, and my eyes widen in terror as I realize it by the spider gladiator when he talks to me.

Ahh!

What's more the prisoner says his captor isn't dead yet... I realize he probably doesn't know dad is dead, having been trapped in here...

I can't help but look away from the spider and close my eyes as my transformation continues. My back arches as bones painfully and I fully turn into my mutated werewolf form.

I get up on all fours snarling, growling, and baring my teeth warningly and extending my wings out to look big.

But really I've been wanting to fight!

And right now denying the conquerors of their precious prize is looking mighty tempting.

I leap to tackle Shard and lean my head down to his shoulder and neck and start biting madly.

Zorra:

I growl at being mistaken and called the name of my terrible 'mother'.

I start to use my back legs to claw at him but suddenly I get grabbed from behind.

I let out a startled yip and ended up losing my grip on Shard.

Goes down.

I collapse against whoever has me and twist around growling and snapping my jaws to bite at who it is.

Then in my fury I'm startled to see it's the spider demon!!

I let out scared dog shrieking yips and bat my paws at him in a panic trying to get away from the terrible monster.

Zorra:

Whines and scurries and slip slides on my paws falling to a stop from my speed.

"Awwoo!"

Hides behind Alue. So badass with a sword.

I should get a weapon... Something to smack people with though not actually cut, to get the conquerors mad...

I'm tempted to growl at it behind Alue but it's still too scary!

But I can't advert my gaze from the demon in case it lunches out and tries to scoup me in a web or go at me with it's fangs or something!

(("Shard... Shard attacked. Got loose.... Got loose and attacked.")) I try to correct my order. The attack seemed more important.

(("Fought back. Spider demon came. Tried to take me!"))

Whines, wing ears flattening.

Carry: (Beast Form)

I stare at the 'high princess' rushing in. Trying to appear non threatening was hard in this form indeed.

I don't think she fell for it. I lick at my fur nervously as if grooming helped the less vitious nature of a arachnid form.

Sorin will be rubbed the wrong way if I start up war so soon.

Zorra explains to her sister, about Shard.

Thats right. Maybe war already has started... who few could have known about him being down there?

I look back at the princess suspiciously but say nothing further to upset her. Zorra was upset enough.

I sigh.

((I'm sorry, I didnt mean to scare you.)) I tell Zorra. 

(Alue): "H..him!?" She seemed shaken at the idea her sister was almost dusted by the mad king himself. So much reverence but they kept him like that?

It was quite .. troubling to understand the Liakris family.
What did they even believe in?

(Alue): "Where is he now?!"

"Recaptured, but someone let him out." 

She looked disturbed I wonder if thats guilt her little plan failed, her sister almost died instead.

(Alue): "I see, well then th planet wont freeze. We are safe and you are well Zorra...come dear.. you need to change ..th..he ..wedding.." She looked as if she quesuoned it and then stopped.

Sorin wouldnt stop it over this. 

(Alue): "I understand being in his holiness's presence can be..confusing.. but dont take that form EVER again here, you wont be ..pouplar."

She adds to me with a dark look.

A threat..
I keep my muzzle down but fully believed she set that up.

Kelpie:

While kept in prisoner testing with the other gladiators, I kept an eye out. Things were different now. Something had changed, I don't know what, but it didn't matter. All I could assume was this was my best opportunity to escape before they got to 'test' me next. Then I'd be known if my appearance didn't give it away to these aliens already. I'd lose any possible chance for an element of surprise.

I keep an eye on one of the testers. They weren't hard to spot. All of them in matching clean bright white clothes.

I get up near the glass wall and wait. One of the testers walks past my cell and I focus on the barcode card I had seen used in their pocket, then kinetically metal bend it to use on the cell.

It opens and I make a break for it.

I hear some shouts of alarm and metal bend a cart of test equipment at them and keep running, my bare feet pounding the ground.

I don't know where I'm heading but wherever it is must be a better adventure than one day dying in the area.

Zorra:

I tense up at the demon thing talking in my mind, paranoidly wondering if it's demon influencing my brain through weird brainwave stuff.

I just whine in response to the demon's trickery apology.

I lower my head at the mention of the.. wedding...

Yes... Great... What could go wrong...?

My mind thinks poisoning but with Alue coming maybe not. Maybe Crazy mom wouldn't even care to kill the aliens either. Just... Offspring...

The freak.

.... Maybe I could try to poison her... Hmm... Might be too late though... How would I get access to her food...?

I go with my sister to get changed.

I decide to wear an outfit my father secretly gifted to me, just to mentally spite Lola's big day. My father did care. Even if she and others didn't really know it.

I gaze at it and take it off the hanger once I'm humanoid again.

It was beautiful. Genuine Nebuquine bones and hide costume sea dragon wings and harness, decorated in an expertly preserved and polished Nebuquine skull. Father knew me so well even at a distance. Of course, I would love freaky biological marvels like this.

I wore it on top of a simple orange-tan tank top and dress skirt and light purple arm sleeves to tie it all together. Along with some bits and bobbles of shiny colourful polished rock jewels for the spacey-look for this apparent 'wedding theme'. I may be mentally spiting the 'bitch' but this was a conquerors event too with the new 'King', so I had to at least look like I was trying.

But... Hmm....

As I tighten my bracelets I can't help but think of a way to mess with the new kingdom too and make this event significantly less boring.


I knock on Alue's door. "I'll meet you at the party okay?" I call through it before heading off to knock on someone else's door.

...That was open...

I walk past it at first to check on what else could be here not that the place was emptier. I half wonder where the prisoners went but eh. Not like I actually cared unless it directly involved me and if they weren't here then I was safely not a revenge target for now.

I glance around the vials causally looking around that could be potentially poisonous to 'the bitch'.

There was a lot of 'venoms'. Spider demon venoms...

Shivers.

What the hell?

Maybe I should be glad my outfit didn't have the lugury of pockets. I wouldn't want to carry one around and have it accidently break on me and open a literally pocket portal to hell or something.

I leave that weird stuff alone and go over to Rags cell and knock on the open glass cell door and peers at Rags in the corner.

"Hey. Wanna go to a party with me?"

Kelpie:

Someone follows after and acts concerned but I don't fall for that bullshit. I telepathically shove him to the side against the hallway.

(("I'M NOT FALLING FOR YOUR TRICKS SLAVERS!"))

Unfortunately at my proud announcement, I suddenly realized I got funneled with the other prisoners.

I Don't feel embarrassed though. No. Clearly, they wouldn't WANT us here to trash their party!

(Zorra): "Then it's all the better." She assures and winks at him for standing out more. "We shall." She taking his arm, wanting to piss people off.

She had no idea just how much blow ack she was gonna get when I saw her.

SHE WAS WEARING NEBUQUINE SKIN!

And a fake-ass mockery of a skull.

Tilts head down slightly and charges into her with a warrior yell.

"AHHHHH!"

The whitey goes paler, eyes wide as I jam my horn into her rib cage and we go tumbling to the floor.

Cethiris watches as my bloody horn comes away from her body and then glances and smiles at CJ given how quickly the alien kingdom might just fall in front of their eyes before looking back at the 'entertainment'.

(Cethiris): "Hopefully your wonderful gift will last long enough for the King to see it, dearest. Though at the rate this party is going..." He trails off with a smirk.

 

Kelpie:

I breathe out air sharply from my nose and buck my head side to side annoyed at the grasp with the blood of the cursed wolf bitch that coats my horn between us. But my movements are not to the point of really escaping and I feel my mind slow and become dull, unable to do anything to the man, the virgin's request is too powerful. My eyes glaze over in a suggestive mental state.

Pants sharply as I lower my head as sadness seeps into my mental state at the virgin's declaration of this supposed wrongness. 

Twinkling magical tears stream steadily down and drips off my cheeks like twinkling flecks of stars, (fitting for this silver starry wedding), onto the woman's gaping horn wound.

The wound seals and suddenly the woman gasps back to life and stares wide-eyed shaking in shock and tries to weakly back pedal away on her palms.

I stare off distantly with glazed cloudy white eyes, still in a suggestive state waiting for further directives.

Zorra:


I'm overwhelmed in shock. Everything had happened so fast and yet somehow so slow at the same time. Like time had slowed but it was only after the fact that everything felt confusing and cotton slow in my brain.

I swallowed at the almost cheek touch spellbound for a moment, unable to form words, then the moment was broken and I kept my head swiveling, ping-ponging between gazing at him and my attacker in wide-eyed shock.

"I was- you- I-"

The horned gladiator looked like her was attention elsewhere now (the eye).

I don't like it though. It could be a ruse. I don't feel safe with her around. I'm sure my step-mother released her and these brutes to attack her wedding, me, and who knows who else on her hitlist of the day. What a wedding present to herself.

I managed to tear myself away from the rapid gazes as I started to make myself feel sick with tension and looked back to Raginbar.

Suddenly, I felt like the jumbled-up pieces of everything slotted into pieces as I gazed at him and the image of him holding the horn over me came back to my mind.

"You- you saved me," I claim quietly awed. "You brought me back to life." (That may or may not be an exaggeration Idk if the tears can do that. Plus she was in shock and would she really know if she was dead. She'd be dead at the time. )

I'm sure so many others would have instead tried to help make sure I was dead, hoping for some kind of reward from mother.

I feel a flutter in my chest as I realize that. How... Set apart and different he was.

I swallow again and slowly push myself up to sit on the floor, staring intently at him.

"Thank you."

I peer down at both our bloody states and reach down and take out a claw. With it I rip off some clean fabric scraps that hadn't been smeared in blood from my earlier back peddling from my dress and glance down while offering a piece.

"For... The blood."

Kelpie:

I come out of my trance state as the virgin commander focused on the other. I don't really pay attention to her now or have time to entirely process anything as my attention gets pulled to a ruby red thing on some other man's hat.

I feel tension roll off my shoulders and feel such peace that I haven't managed to feel in a long while. There had been times that I had wanted to meditate in my cell but even then there was the tension of some other gladiator possibly thinking that could take me out during it.

I'm pulled out of my rest when someone takes to me.

I look over and peer at the guy not knowing who he was. I peer at his tentacle hat and as I do so something about what he said clicks in my brain. Slaver. Right.

I peer over his outfit confused as the music starts. Had I fallen asleep? How long had I zoned out? I know we were running and things were sudden but I swear he looked different.

I tense as the announcer queen passes by, expecting her to proclaim a fight or something for the King's death 'party' if what the virgin commander said was true. Zen ruined.

I grind my teeth and force myself to look away from her and look back at the fancy tentacle-horn gentleman.

"Oh... Um... Sorry... I'm a gladiator."

It occurs to me... If I have been here awhile... No one tried to send me back to the cells... What does that mean?...

I swipe two fingers over my horn and then rub the crusted blood between my fingers as I stare at it.

"If the King is dead..." I begin quietly to the nearby man as I gaze at the blood. "Am I..." I hesitate at the thought and question. "Free?"

I blink my eyes tearing up and shake my head feeling overwhelmed and stupid for even considering the possibility.

"It hurts to even hope knowing it could be torn away."

I look at the tentacle hat person.

"It doesn't even seem plausible... Surely, someone or the Queen announcer would take his place and it would continue?"

There will always be someone else. There always is. Surely all those slavers throughout history didn't all work for one King?

What... what am I supposed to be now? Can I even go home?... Is there even a home to go back to?...

... And if it is the end of the slavers... Or.....

....

My heart hurts at the possibility of the tribe being truly wiped out.

I'm a warrior. A gladiator... That's what I am...

I'd hunt down everyone who hurt them... Somehow... Right?...

But how? Where? Who?... I don't know anything about them...

I feel the ache in my chest.

I wouldn't be able to... It would be impossible... I don't even have transportation or names to go off of or anything... And it's a whole galaxy up there...

And I can't... Consider all these things... Cause then it's as if believing they need avenging but the tribe is strong. The tribe is strong... Surely they put up a hell of a fight and got 'em during all this time.... However long it's even been...

Typhon: 

I keep my distance knowing what that horn can do, but it was hard not to want to lean in and look at that glorious skin. It was like something opaline from the palace. 

I forgot what species does that, something aquatic.

I was never really obsessed with all the science generic mumbo jumbo some of the family was so invested in. 

Though talk of ..slavers...

DID make me reconsider if this girl was wrong. Maybe shes not. Am I?

Maybe not everyone was happy in my kingdom and some were sent away. Maybe it was like this. Just a little.

As I listen to her I wonder if ...people felt like that when my family was overthrown. Happy.

I almost felt bad as she seemed so damaged about hope of freedom.

"I..think you are. King Sorin killed the old King.." I point him out, standing by the alter looking smug.

"He is sending people back...they are getting picked up..like those folk." 

I gesture to a very colorful looking queen lady reuniting with some slaves in less clothes then her.

I realize that might make her sad.

"I dont have a home to go back to either, I wasn't a gladiator I was a ... statute. Frozen by the curse.. and displayed..."

How embarrassing.. 

I think much rather have been in the ring.

"I was frozen for ..decades but it feels like.. days..everyone I used to know is..old.."

I stare back at Blythe and Sabel. Sabel looked like her mom not her twin!

Kelpie:

I use his words as a distraction to tear my thoughts away from myself to look over at the people he points out and peer back at him as he continues on about himself.

It occurs to me that it seemed like a luxury to actually have someone actually talking to me and not just taunts or commands.

I look at him surprised the people can be defrosted? Can planets now to? I wonder.

"That's... Wow..." I shake my head. "Amazing. And sad... I'm sorry..."

I follow his gaze and then the wedding... Lola as the bride.

I tilt my head watching her like this outside of the coliseum for a moment then briefly back at him.

I peer up at his hat and use it to give him an out on the subject in case he wants it.

I lean in and whisper under the music as I look back at the King killer and Lola. "Why is there a tentacle on your head?"

Zorra:

I gaze at Rags impressed. Unfortunately mother butts in.

My eyes flick to her and my light awed expression falls flat, eyes narrowed, knowing this was her doing.

I don't give her the satisfaction of a verbal response and just glare as she takes her walk down the isle.