Hunting Ground
Aug. 24th, 2013 01:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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birthright_rpgMost of the buildings that surrounded the outlying areas of the campus thrived. There were only a few apartment buildings and hotels that had problems with guests apparently clearing out their rooms in the middle of the night without paying. Never to surface again. The normal consensus of thought on the matter seemed to be that Vegas just drove people to strange things. Like people were prone to running off and going nuts in one specific state because of, what, bright lights? Valerie didn’t buy it. A handful of people might just decided to start fresh, the rest? She’d wager things in the night took them.
For that reason she had decided to check the areas out. The fact that the properties were all within walking distance of each other sent warning bells off. On the outside things looked alright, but as she detoured down the alley between two of hotels she felt the hairs at the back of neck rise. That tingle of unease as she sensed them. Behind the dumpsters a struggle broke out, the scuffle easy for her ears to pick up. Then from the shadows a figure appeared, bleeding and running towards her. Behind the girl two figures stepped into sight.
“Don’t just stand there, get her!”
The command had been barked from a tall, muscular vampire with short red hair to a shorter, leaner one with a mop of unruly dark curls. Valerie rushed towards the girl, grabbed her by the arm and all but pushed her sobbing onto the bright sidewalk with a shout of, “Run!” There was no time for anything else as the dark haired vampire tackled her like a linebacker. The girl let out a scream and took off as the air in Valerie’s lungs got forced from her body. She groaned with the impact and felt the skin of her palms scrape into shreds along the filthy ground as she landed. The blonde scrambled forward on hands and knees as the demon latched onto one of her boots. She let out a frustrated snarl and kicked out with her free leg to collide with his collar bone. It did the trick and dislodged him.
Valerie wasted no time in getting to her feet before he could grab her again, she turned only to come face to face with the taller one. “You’ll make a nice replacement.” The growl made her roll her eyes and she spat back, “You wouldn’t like me.” With lightning speed she dug her fingers into his shirt and pulled him closer just to headbutt him roughly. “I cause heartburn.”
She kept a hold of him as he staggered back to use as leverage as she kicked out at the shorter vampire who’d made it to his feet. When he stumbled backwards Valerie brought her knee up to hit the red head in his groin. When he doubled over the blonde used his back to aid her forward flip over him. She pivoted to deliver a vicious kick that landed at the base of his spine and sent him into his shorter friend. Instinct had her check her back and she almost sighed. Two more sauntered slowly up the alley behind her. Valerie turned to the two she currently fought with an exasperated, “Just how many of you are there?”
The tall one grinned, “Just us four, you’ll be enough to share.”
For that reason she had decided to check the areas out. The fact that the properties were all within walking distance of each other sent warning bells off. On the outside things looked alright, but as she detoured down the alley between two of hotels she felt the hairs at the back of neck rise. That tingle of unease as she sensed them. Behind the dumpsters a struggle broke out, the scuffle easy for her ears to pick up. Then from the shadows a figure appeared, bleeding and running towards her. Behind the girl two figures stepped into sight.
“Don’t just stand there, get her!”
The command had been barked from a tall, muscular vampire with short red hair to a shorter, leaner one with a mop of unruly dark curls. Valerie rushed towards the girl, grabbed her by the arm and all but pushed her sobbing onto the bright sidewalk with a shout of, “Run!” There was no time for anything else as the dark haired vampire tackled her like a linebacker. The girl let out a scream and took off as the air in Valerie’s lungs got forced from her body. She groaned with the impact and felt the skin of her palms scrape into shreds along the filthy ground as she landed. The blonde scrambled forward on hands and knees as the demon latched onto one of her boots. She let out a frustrated snarl and kicked out with her free leg to collide with his collar bone. It did the trick and dislodged him.
Valerie wasted no time in getting to her feet before he could grab her again, she turned only to come face to face with the taller one. “You’ll make a nice replacement.” The growl made her roll her eyes and she spat back, “You wouldn’t like me.” With lightning speed she dug her fingers into his shirt and pulled him closer just to headbutt him roughly. “I cause heartburn.”
She kept a hold of him as he staggered back to use as leverage as she kicked out at the shorter vampire who’d made it to his feet. When he stumbled backwards Valerie brought her knee up to hit the red head in his groin. When he doubled over the blonde used his back to aid her forward flip over him. She pivoted to deliver a vicious kick that landed at the base of his spine and sent him into his shorter friend. Instinct had her check her back and she almost sighed. Two more sauntered slowly up the alley behind her. Valerie turned to the two she currently fought with an exasperated, “Just how many of you are there?”
The tall one grinned, “Just us four, you’ll be enough to share.”
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on 2013-08-24 01:25 am (UTC)Except there was no back-and-forth. One ramming the other up against wall, unprepared for the show of strength. Not even a growl as the pair wrestled for-
No. Not wrestled. Even in the shadows, it was clear one was being pinned to the wall. Held there against the brickwork. Forced to yield. The pair of them being told to knock it off - and it making no difference. A would-be nocturnal killer seeming to... Spasm. Grunt. Flail.
A cracking twist of neck and the former walking corpse exploded into powder before it hit the ground. Victor turning in the small group's direction, walking forth. Self-assured. Complete. Forearm wiping lazily against mouth, but not enough to succeed in washing away the show of blood which smeared down from the corners of the same. The owner's face coming into view as she passed under artificial lighting from above.
"Hey... You're not Janine."
No vampire, either. Jaw unhinging, just as it had when dispatching the other two - one so fast, its partner hadn't even realised. Reconfiguring like some ghastly arachnid's fang-filled maw.
And threatening not Valarie, but her stalkers, with an unholy shriek.
What was worse than the undead? Perhaps whatever made its business to eat them.
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on 2013-08-24 03:18 am (UTC)Fear had been diluted over the years, but when the brunette’s face transformed Valerie felt the first real stab of it since her teenage years. Not from the actual woman so much as the horrifying realisation that she didn’t know what she was. Then that shriek…
It made her skin want to rip from her body and crawl off into the night. Morbid curiosity kept Valerie rooted to the spot. The red headed vampire clutched at his ears and dropped to his knees while the shorter one backed up into Valerie, wide eyed and terrified as he hissed, “What the fuck is that?”
“I have no idea what she is.” The blonde confessed, quite happy to pin his arms by his sides as she held him like a shield. “But I do want to find out…”
“Are you out of your goddamn mind?” He spat incredulously as Valerie began to push him forward slowly, her knees pressed into the back of his to make sure there would be no retreat.
Honestly right at that moment Valerie had to wonder, so it was with a grimace that she whispered more to herself than the vampire, “I might be.”
She inched closer with him despite the way he squirmed in her grip. Her gaze never wavered from the brunette for a second. The blonde had no way to know if this was a friend or foe, and the only way she could determine that was to talk.
Although… The brunette might not even speak English.
Peace offerings though, they could be considered symbolic, that kind of thing transcended language.
Valerie at least really hoped so right then, as she pushed the struggling vampire another few inches closer to the brunette. “If you’re still hungry….” She said slowly, tentatively as if she were talking to a human formed mousetrap that might just snap at any given second, “You can have him and the other one.”
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on 2013-08-24 04:59 am (UTC)It had been a curious show to watch. One played out between puppets as the thing hosted by a woman named Sabra looked on, waited and learned. Words, numbers and key phrases being learned.
Enough for a rudimentary understanding. Enough for this.
With mantis-like reflex, the first was set upon like a rottweiler's chew-toy. A vampire, something which could crumple metal doors in pursuit of prey, being latched onto with those terrible jaws and made to understand how its own victims had felt. Mandibles holding fast, digging deep, while talons which wouldn't have looked out of place on a bird of prey, gripped with a merciless enough strength to cause the tell-tale snapping of undead bone. The process not too dissimilar to imagining how a chainsaw might react against flesh, as the once-woman proceeded to drain her third empowered meal into terror-filled, futile weakness.
There followed two shrieks. One from the would-be predator in Sabra's grasp, whose head was torn from body, initiating the molecular trigger which would turn corpse to dust. The next from Valerie's other assailant, thinking only now of self-preservation. The need to run. Escape.
Die.
For salvation was fleeting and an ancient thing slavered with renewed hunger. Long-haired brunette uncaring for mortal blonde's witnessing of her need to feed, to drain, to devour... To saw through gristle and bone and absorb fluids and empowered energy, alike, into herself. This one leapt upon back; weight and inertia pushing him down into the concrete.
Immortal, no more. That tell-tale scream erupting as the final killing blow was struck out of sheer vicious impulse.
Then, slowly, the she-beast arose back to standing pose. Something within her gaze echoing with a long, slow burn of loathing, of hatred. Jaws, though... Closing, again. Realigning to a look more in keeping with human guise.
Freshly-fed, at least, to no longer need to launch further attacks. Or perhaps just curious enough to hold off.
"Why?"
It wasn't telepathic. Wasn't booming in volume, either. But there was something in that voice. Something which projected a genuine force of presence. A spiritual volcano threatening to go off at any moment.
Something full of malice. Something full of hate.
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on 2013-08-24 06:40 am (UTC)Though as the creature stood up to face her again Valerie had to remind herself not to make any sudden movements. Lifted hands up by her sides slowly, open palms scraped and bloody, to convey she wasn’t trying to attack. That and the way its face shifted back to a more human visage kept her stuck in place.
Valerie tried to breathe slowly, calmly, even if her pulse raced due to the tone of that single word. Did curiosity really outweigh general safety?
She couldn’t just walk away without knowing one way or the other if the woman would be a threat to her, to other humans. It would be irresponsible to run off when she had a duty to find out, although admittedly, sane.
One simple, quiet, word escaped Valerie’s throat.
“Survival.”
Honest as she stood her ground. Valerie didn’t want to fight the woman but if the brunette lashed out she’d do everything she could to survive. Just as she’d done then by handing over the vampires. Better them than her.
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on 2013-08-26 04:05 am (UTC)With jaws having reconfigured, the elder-looking female turned head this way and that. Eyes never leaving Valerie as she did so. Neck muscles being tested. Or perhaps getting used to even having them.
Nothing further was spoken. Not yet. Instead, the brunette began to slowly walk around the girl; head kept a little lowered, gaze fixed. Making a loud sniff as she inhaled air through nose, tilting face up. A process not unlike the one exhibited with Echo, not too long ago. Then, ascertaining the hybrid's nature. Now, being used to inform the predator of Valerie's own.
"Different," she observed. Voice now a little more relaxed than before. Less strained. But the pacing wasn't. The brunette swiftly changing direction, trying to circle the other way and then reversing course, yet again. Speeding up. Then taking a small jump, landing on the metal lid of a dumpster. Crouching, using it to perch. Knees wide apart. Hands balancing weight by holding the edge.
Calming... For now.
Another sniff; this time twice.
"To the rest... Different. Not..." Lips closed, quivered and pursed. Thinking on how to pronounce a word. A name. "Not Maloker's. You'd taste... Not the same."
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on 2013-08-28 10:35 pm (UTC)Valerie felt the blood in her veins speed up as the woman stepped closer, chin tucked down towards her chest just enough to look predatory. Slow steps at first took the brunette around her as she stood perfectly still. Valerie tried to keep her breathing slow but steady, the last thing she wanted to do was give, whatever she was, the impression that she felt panicked. Though she did turn her face to the side to watch as the woman sniffed at the air surrounding her. Picking up scents that the blonde could only guess at, though she knew in her bones the brunette was trying to do exactly what she was. Figure out what the other is.
“Yes.” The word found form before Valerie could stop it but she didn’t regret saying it either. Curiosity she could work with, the odds were better than sudden death, even if the woman pivoted and began walking faster. Then again at a dizzying speed, frenzied almost before it leapt upon the lid of the dumpster with ease, knees near it’s face as it clutched the edge to watch Valerie. Who in turn let out a slow breath and wiped her bloodied palms against her jeans without thinking about stains.
Valerie listened carefully to what the woman had to say and found herself frowning slightly. It was one thing to know a vampire was a vampire but to know the being that created their very existence? The blonde would ponder the information more deeply when she wasn’t standing in the dark talking to a woman of undetermined species. Now was not the time to get lost in thought,
“Yes. I’m different.” Valerie nodded slowly, then blinked when the word taste got added to the mix.
Alright yes, technically she wouldn’t taste the same, but she didn’t want to be tasted at all because the woman didn’t have a normal mouth. A bite could potentially severe veins and arteries in a way that might drain her without intent, or rip her entire throat out, or face off…
The blonde shook herself mentally. Now that she knew the brunette could understand her enough she tried for something simple. “My name is Valerie.” She said, one hand lifted to touch across her collar bones, not to patronise but to assure the meaning got across as she stood there. “Do you have a name?”
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on 2013-08-28 11:46 pm (UTC)"Yes... But it's not... Rrrrrememberrred."
The word, she wasn't used to. Still needed to articulate the pronunciation of certain things. Had the girl realised just how recently it had been since learning such phrases, it might have been suitably more impressive than the impression being given now.
Then, slowly looking down at herself, it was as if the visitor had just remembered something. Hands beginning to search herself before - snap! Head looked up. Suddenly. Detecting shadows or motion in the air. Unsure as to whether Valerie had been the one to move or something else. A predator fully alert. Then looking back down, looking for the...
Ah, there it was. Retrieving something half-crumpled from a pocket. A form of ID slightly too damaged to make out the surname, gingerly handing it over. Allowing Valerie to see.
"The vessel... 'Sabra'?"
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on 2013-08-31 11:04 pm (UTC)Valerie could wonder about it later, because as she watched the brunette her head snapped up and for a moment even the blonde froze to listen. Then, threat undetected, the woman went about searching her pockets and Valerie let out a slow breath. The way she moved made the blonde think of a cat. Perched on the edge of a tv, spotting something nobody else could, then promptly going back to cleaning it’s fur. She shook her head and walked tentatively closer as the woman held her hand out.
The card was crumpled and worn and the blonde plucked it gently from the brunette. Smoothed it between her fingers to try and make out the words that were mostly gone. “I think this is a driving license.” She said, looking at the barely there markings as she read the only word she could properly make out. Sabra.
Vessel? The word sent a chill down the blonde’s spine because from experience a vessel was either a nutcase who chose to use themselves for something, a stranger picked by someone else or sacrificed willingly or not. Either way it didn’t end well for them.
Valerie’s mind churned as she handed the ID card back gently. The blonde felt the frown mar her features as she looked up at the brunette. Whoever Sabra had been, she might not even reside in that body anymore, and whatever species now took its form, had no way of knowing who it really was. That was just… Tragic.
“Sabra, do you know what happened to you?” Valerie’s tone was soft as another thought struck her. How long had Sabra been wandering the streets. Did she even have a place to go? “Do you have a home here?”
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on 2013-09-01 02:17 am (UTC)Head snapped up, suddenly more mentally focused. Looking straight at the girl. Dark tresses hanging down. Another sniff of air.
"There's something inside you..."
An ominous pause, Sabra's gaze trailing down the blonde, regarding her for a moment. Then, no longer caring, looked off to one side, down the alley. Unperching herself. Feet landing, cat-like, on the ground, without even having to watch her step. Attention transferring back, once again.
"This is not... Home." A slight look of... Distaste, maybe? Or was the being taking offence at the concept of no longer having access to a residing lair? "And your world is... Light. Like feathers... Not like it was. As things used to be."
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on 2013-09-04 02:37 am (UTC)When the brunette’s attention zeroed in on Valerie she held it’s gaze. There was no challenge in the act just curiosity that sputtered into worried suspicion when Sabra said something so clearly that it sent a chill through her body. Did she sense something the blonde couldn’t? Without consent her mind wandered to a movie she’d seen years ago. Alien it had been called. Valerie’s hand raised unconsciously to press against her chest as she asked tentatively,“What’s inside me?”
Valerie forced herself to forget the comment for the time being and listened instead as the woman dropped from the dumpster to her feet without so much as a blink. Light like feathers? The blonde chewed the inside of her lip before stating gently, “Our gravity isn’t as strong as your world.”
While the blonde paid complete attention to the brunette she couldn’t help but look down the alley when the woman did. Only to shake her head and frown slightly. The real Sabra would have a place to live if she had I.D. Though, did she have family? Did the thing inside her body have any? These were questions Valerie couldn’t stop from running through her mind. Though only one made it past her lips, “Do you have a place to stay in this world?”
Valerie might not know much, or anything, about Sabra, but what she did know was that everything sentient had it’s own form of shelter. It was a basic need they all shared.
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on 2013-09-04 03:29 am (UTC)There was a touch of a sneer as that last word was spoken. But whether out of genuine dislike or just because the articulation of mouth and tongue, to form words, was still foreign to Sabra, who could really say? Perhaps both. She didn't exactly seem to be much of a humanitarian, either way - literally or figuratively. And, as if to prove it, she echoed, "Gravity..." Neither confirming nor denying the theoretical interpretation given by this Slayer of the undead. A deep-throated, almost hungry purr reverberating in the brunette's throat.
"Place? No place... No world," the being formerly known as Sabra answered. That time, not disguising the edge of annoyance sharpening her reply. An expression of disdain showing as she looked around their surroundings, like an animal feeling somehow caged by virtue of physical freedom. But this was not her freedom, because it was somewhere else. Somewhere different. Alien.
Somewhere she had clearly no more planned on being than those who had summoned her here.
Then Sabra closed the distance with unexpected sudden reflex. Putting her face to face. Not touching, but with fingers restlessly flexing at each side.
"How do you... Exist? Here... You survive... How?"
In other words, tell me how you live. What will make things easier. Sabra's nutritional hunger might be abated, but she thirsted for knowledge.
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on 2013-09-04 04:06 am (UTC)Valerie didn’t take it personally. They didn’t know one another, and hate seemed like the common emotion she evoked from other creatures for no other reason than what she was. What that represented. Who she represented because lets face it, the Council had a tendency to cloak their actions through the girls who held the power. They merely guided it, them, with very little explanation.
The annoyance was met with calmness. Valerie had tried to establish if Sabra roamed the streets or had a residence somewhere to go to, evidently she didn’t, or simply chose not to recognise the new world as anywhere to belong too. Either way the question had been answered, even if it had been somewhat confrontational. Snide.
Then the brunette was in front of her, so close the blonde could feel the very breath from the woman being exhaled against her skin. Valerie held her ground, kept her gaze fixed with Sabra’s and remained still. Composed. So the creature of unknown origin and species wanted to survive in this world after all. That was interesting. To blend in with a crowd would be advantageous to Sabra but what would the benefit be to her?
“Alright.” Valerie said clearly, no quiet words or tentative movements as she nodded. “I will help you exist here providing you do not try to eat me, ever. It may take a while to adjust but I will teach you how things work here. Do we have a deal, Sabra?”
Whatever Sabra was she was intelligent. Her grasp of vocabulary was quick so Valerie didn’t worry over if the brunette would understand. She already knew she did.
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on 2013-09-07 03:46 am (UTC)Valerie, for her part, was doing supremely well. Was showing patience where some others had not. A hybrid, just lately... That one had used violence and only made the situation worse. This one? This one had patience. Whether or not Sabra felt it to be an alien concept was besides the point. What mattered was that it was working. Allowing for extra options, at the very least. But she was what she was. The demonic - the truly demonic - was a force of absolute, total loathing. Creatures either corrupted by or forged in hatred, rage and the cruel hungers of oblivion. Humanity... The entire planet was little more than a speck of plankton in those vast cosmic seas of eternity. Some day, far in the future, a wake-up call was almost guaranteed.
Perhaps this one was Valerie's. On two legs, no less.
The Slayer's answer was given and her personal monster under the bed looked her up and down without even trying to hide it. Had no reason to. Why hide it? Diversions and the subtlety of assassins... Thus was the way of the Wolf, Ram and Hart. Significance was Sabra's way.
"Yes..."
That time, she replied with a smile. It was, however, a vicious one. The smile of a wolf. Maybe because she wasn't used to puppeteering the facial muscle control of human beings. Or maybe because it was in her nature to lie if she could. All things considered, maybe the earlier sneering and disdain was preferable. At least there could be no disguising its honesty.
Without warning, she brought hands to either side of Valerie's shoulders, clamping them around the blonde's upper arms. Jaws neither opening nor distending. Instead, she pulled Valerie in, burying nose in golden tresses and inhaling loudly. A passer-by might be forgiven for assuming something pornographic, but if they did, it was supremely awkward. In reality, it was quite the opposite. An apparent grown woman acting like a wild animal. A lion. Or maybe a dragon... Gaining herself a lungful of a scent it could not place. Turning head, tilting, as she took another before simply letting go.
"Oils... And other strange things... In your hair," she observed. The concept of things like shampoo clearly having not filtered down into the underworld. Not the parts Sabra had been known to dwell in, at least. "Why is this?"
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on 2013-09-07 07:09 am (UTC)The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Valerie tried to believe that saying as she watched Sabra blatantly look her over, from head to toe and back up again. The oddest feeling ran through the blonde, the split second sensation of being exposed, despite being fully dressed. Then it was gone, and the brunette had given her answer. Sabra could be lying, she didn’t know her, yet she had no option but to trust her. The only concrete thought that went through her mind as the woman began to smile was, she hasn’t tried to kill me.
That didn’t stop the tingle at the back of her neck as that smile widened to show white teeth. The brunette’s eyes on hers so intently with a mixed grin of feral and ferocious left the blonde wondering if maybe she’d been wrong. The air in her lungs stilled for a second and she opened her mouth to whisper, “Then we have a de-...”
Words were cut short as Sabra grabbed her so fast that Valerie snapped her mouth shut. Teeth clattered together loudly and she sucked in a deep breath through her nose. Equal measures of surprise and horror washed through the blonde. The grip on her shoulders felt strong, very strong, but the brunette’s hands didn’t feel like they were trying to actually harm her in any way. Valerie didn’t have a chance to think about it further because like it or not she got pulled into the woman.
Over the years she’d learned to deal with many situations she’d never thought would happen. None of them had prepared her for this. It wasn’t an embrace, she knew that, yet they were pressed together in such a way it would seem like it to others. Things got tense when Sabra pushed her face into her hair, almost against her neck, and Valerie wondered why her life didn’t pass before her eyes if this was the end. The brunette gave a sniff and suddenly Valerie remembered to breathe again. Sabra wasn’t going to bite her, she was doing what predatory species did, inhaling the scents that clung to people the way animals did with each other. Valerie’s fingers curled into the fabric of her jeans then splayed against her legs in relief. Alright she grasped what was going on but that didn’t make her comfortable. The brunette’s hair was in her face and it didn’t smell clean, tickling against her cheek, and that one exhale of breath from Sabra had sent a shiver down her spine. Valerie chalked it up to fear, and nerves reacting accordingly to stimuli. Then just as abruptly as it had began, it stopped.
Valerie blinked a few times, a faint warmth spread across her neck, mildly flustered at having her personal space so utterly invaded in such an intimate way. There would be no use shouting about it right now, it could lead to a fight that she would really rather not participate in. Boundaries would need to be set and learned but given that they’d only just met, the blonde was just pleased she still had her head attached to her body. What was a little hair sniffing when that could be the alternative?
“Hygiene is important.”
Valerie pressed her lips together, focused on Sabra, and tried to answer the best way she could. “We use shampoo to clean our hair, then conditioner to keep it untangled. There are all sorts of body washes too. They have many different scents because nobody wants to smell bad. People here like to be clean, those who are not are often judged by others. Clean hair is attractive to others. Washing it keeps it shiny and soft.”
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on 2013-09-07 07:47 am (UTC)Scent. Yes, scent. An impulse. An instinct. A reaction, even. Sabra understood things differently and now had to modify accordingly. It was like a human being who suddenly had to figure out they needed to play a specific tune on a mixture of harp and accordion, in just the right combination, simply in order to move their head.
So, yes, even the act of smelling was... Interpreted differently. Existence, itself, was a form of, if not trial, then at least a puzzle.
"Sham... Poo," Sabra repeated, testing the phrase. Then the same with 'conditioner'. Practically inviting the girl to give her a crash course in pronunciation, because the brunette or, at least, whatever now controlled her like a flesh-suit, seemingly found the terminology alien. A couple of attempts and she mostly had it down, even if the explanation as to their purpose might not yet be completely within the creature's mental grasp.
A look down, eyes trailing in studious fashion to feet. "Your... Huuu-man hair is not... Only on hhhhhead," Sabra offered. Anatomically, perfectly correct, but who advertised for the pubic hair care? Testament, if ever there was, that this being still had no proper clue about the delicacies of social interaction. "If you clothe it... It must not be shiny."
Talk about an awkward moment. One which was, however, swiftly alleviated by Sabra's own sudden disinterest in pursuing the matter further. Looking away, back down the alley. Pondering. Even time moved differently here.
"I want to be... A different place," she worded, starting to walk without even asking permission, much less for direction. Simply... Setting off. "Tell me one. Tell me where. How to."
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on 2013-09-07 08:48 am (UTC)Valerie almost felt herself laugh when Sabra stated what was on her mind. The fact that she was right just made the entire situation even funnier. She smiled without thinking about it and bit her lower lip. Intelligence aside, the brunette was akin to children learning about the world and of course themselves, and from time to time that could bring up the most awkward of topics.
“Yes.” She agreed, and then took in a deep breath. “We have hair all over our bodies. We only use shampoo and conditioner for our head hair. The rest we wash with soap.”
The blonde paused then, one hand lifted to rub across her forehead as she fought a frown. Not because of Sabra, so much as how to word things in a way that would be clear, yet vague enough to not bother her all the same. “Most women prefer to remove the hair on their legs and under their arms as it’s more socially acceptable than to leave it. The uh…” Valerie’s face took on a look usually reserved for eating something sour and motioned towards the apex of her own thighs with a general wave of hand. “This area is never shown in public, but can be maintained the same way as legs and armpits. It’s usually called personal grooming.”
It wasn’t until she looked up that she realised Sabra had began to walk off all the while still talking to her. Valerie jogged a few steps until they were walking side by side, and cocked her head to the side as she thought. She could take Sabra to a lot of places but that wouldn’t really help her so much as confuse, probably.
“What kind of place do you want to go too?” Valerie asked, looking up at the brunette as they made it to the brightly lit sidewalk. “What do you want to learn right now?”
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on 2013-09-07 09:22 am (UTC)How were facts a source of amusement? Humour, itself, strange and unfamiliar. Most often triggered by cruelty. By sadism. The cleverness of power... But still, no clear memories arose. Nothing stood proud from the wreckage of amnesia. It was as though all recollection had been scorched to ashes, leaving behind only a tantalising glint of what once was.
Of what could yet be waiting, buried, ready for opportune discovery.
Only one word was repeated from the explanation given. That of, "Women..." And Sabra looked down at herself, as though only now had it occurred to her to check thorax for the existence and size of breasts. Or perhaps it was more of a confirmation. Something which had been filed away for later examination, now given priority and relevance. Sabra lifting her gaze to Valerie's chest. Then blinking back up, meeting the human's gaze.
A new sense of status. Of self-identity. Neither better nor worse. It simply was.
"I want..." Still moving along in the night air, Sabra was moving differently than might be expected. There was a kind of half-slouch, only really noticeable close up. Like she was constantly bracing to react or looking for a wild animal to spear. Forehead marred in concentration as the question was considered. Looking out through human eyes as they emerged from where a percentage of Nevada's undead had since come to grief.
Stopping.
Surveying.
"When the revulsion of light comes," she began with spite, "I will not suffer it upon me. It brings me annoyance. I want... A dwelling."
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on 2013-09-07 11:19 pm (UTC)Though she did nod in agreement when Sabra took notice that she was in fact a female member of the human species. “Yes, we’re women.” The words had rolled off her tongue just before she caught sight of the brunettes gaze. Arms instinctively crossed across her chest as she cleared her throat, and when their eyes met Valerie glanced off to the road, seeing but not really watching a car as it passed. She understood it was only confirming to itself that they were the same, but that didn’t make it any less uncomfortable for her. No different, really, than catching a stranger glancing there. Which, technically, Sabra was.
Should she mention posture right now? Valerie glanced up at the brunette and decided against it. For the most part she walked quite well, all things considered. Over time she’d adapt, and there were much more important things to discuss before that. Valerie paid attention to the woman as they walked out the corner of her eye, so when she stopped in her tracks the blonde did too. Turned slightly to look at the brunette but said nothing. Giving her a moment to think, or process, or sniff out scents. Alright, the being now known as Sabra could be doing anything but to Valerie it looked like she was just looking around. Maybe getting her bearings, learning the streets.
Valerie felt her lips part, not shock exactly, perhaps a little surprised. For a being that couldn’t say the word conditioner it sure managed to wrap it’s tongue around revulsion. The tone used only intensified the word and the blonde knew instinctively that the brunette understood every word she’d just said. She was learning to talk in proper sentences, to string words together not only correctly but with feeling behind them.
“People here live in houses.” She said calmly, head tilted to watch the reaction she might get.
The last time she’d broached the topic of a home it hadn’t been great, though not particularly bad either. However, would it be wise to try and find the one the original Sabra had? valerie didn’t think so. It lead to too many questions from those who might have known the woman, and this new being was not ready to mingle in a neighbourhood with her own little picket fence and car. Which left only a few options.
“Right now shelter is a good idea. There are a few cheap hotels I could get you into. If you’d prefer for the time being, we could look at some of the derelict buildings but if you want to exist here, that kind of place is not a permanent solution.”
Valerie paused to chew the inside of her lip, let her words register before she added, “I think you should be somewhere that you’ll have access to running water, electricity and laundry. Do you eat human food at all? If so, then I think we should look at hotels.”
Obviously the blonde had considered that Sabra would have no money, but she had enough tucked away for emergencies. This felt like one. Even if she did lament the fact that at this rate, she’d never have enough for a second hand car.
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on 2013-09-08 01:53 am (UTC)The intonation behind it was just weighty enough for attention to be drawn to where Sabra looked. Namely, back down the alley, just for a moment. A gestured reminder of vampires meeting her nutritional needs. Possibly even Valerie, herself. Quite how far Sabra's cuisine extended was yet clarified. It was more than a little possible that she might have taken to nesting in sewers or slaughtering the human occupants of the first place which came along, had Valerie not met her.
Maybe already had.
There was little understanding of the term 'hotel', though. Possibly even 'derelict'. A degree of reading between the proverbial lines was necessary and the blonde provided enough hints for her to figure out... If not the basics, then near to them. A place where fundamentals were provided or somewhere they weren't, seemed to be the long and short of it. She did understand 'houses' and the unspoken 'home'. Things were clicking over, unseen, within her mind.
Things would likely be just as filtered in reverse. Valerie had essentially just come into the acquaintance of a being from the infernal abyss. Even one without a memory was a valuable resource, if only for its more instinctive knowledge. It had already demonstrated the ability to sense what formed her Slayerhood, after all. Eventually, if Sabra became more stable, that might even form the basis of a future meeting of minds between them.
But a lot could happen between now and then.
There was a momentary sway of head from one side to the other; Sabra appearing to be tuning into another wavelength or perhaps just using the motion as a form of inward contemplation. Whatever it iwas, it resulted in a decision.
"A roof. And walls. And you will bring me things."
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on 2013-09-08 03:00 am (UTC)There were a few locations around them right now that would work. No fear of any harm befalling the brunette if Valerie selected a place that inhabited vampires, or at the very least drew them there. Actually, that might be the best idea, a transitioning place to stay where not many people would dwell. Those who did would not be the type to question any odd behaviour on Sabra’s part. It would also be cheap and would contain everything she would need in order to learn how to function as a human. With demon activity nearby hunger could be sated without having to wander all over the streets.
The lightbulb above Valerie’s head flickered and dimmed when she heard Sabra state something as fact. For a split second the blonde had to wonder what she’d gotten herself into. She tried to rationalise it the best way she could. She would have to bring her some clothes, toiletries, and possibly food. Books too, even if they started with some children's basics.
Valerie rubbed one hand across the side of her cheek and let out a breath. Things could potentially go very, very downhill, with what she said next, “I will bring you certain things to teach you how to live here but that does not mean I’m your servant.”
Lines had to be drawn. The blonde had meant what she said about helping her but she had to be clear that the deal they made did not in any way mean that now or in the future she’d be claimed, owned, or kept as some kind of servant or pet. Whether Sabra had intended it that way or not, Valerie had to make sure there was no misunderstandings, even at the risk of her own safety.
Across the street was a motel, the building while large, appeared smaller than the rest. The sign stuck to the front of it had missing neon letters and the parking lot looked practically vacant. Perfect. When Sabra could blend a bit better with the public, learned how to interact appropriately, the blonde would help her find a new place. “This way, I’ll get you a room here. It’ll do for the time being.”
Valerie paused to look at the brunette, made sure she was following her as she crossed the street, and pushed the doors open to the motel.
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on 2013-09-09 04:33 am (UTC)Very matter-of-factly. There was no obvious sarcasm behind it and, truth be told, Sabra didn't seem the type to have yet grappled with subtleties like that. What there had been was a clear expectation. An inference that refusal had not even been considered.
As she was led into the building, Sabra followed not so much like an unleashed guard dog, but an uncaged tiger. She didn't care for the words exchanged between girl and receptionist, looking, instead, at the walls with an expression of distrust. Perhaps expecting them to speak or whisper between themselves. For all anyone knew, possibly even hearing them do so. She only looked up when a maid seemed to be peering at her tilting head to try and listen to the structure; Sabra narrowing eyes and making a deep, noticeable growl of warning, startling her.
"She disagreed with me," she justified, turning back to Valerie. No awkwardness at all. No excuse. Just a statement. Eyes playing over what were identified as an array of keys for various room... Hmm... Recognised what those were for.
Then, all of a sudden, taking ahold of a small potted cactus and sliding it forward.
"It demands water."
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on 2013-09-10 12:06 am (UTC)“I live my own life.”
To a certain degree, at least. The Council had made sure to remind her of that fact before setting her free. The entire process had left Valerie feeling somewhat tagged like a wild animal. Set loose but tracked, observed, and if dangerous or wayward put down, if need be. Though death wasn’t really a priority for those who went rogue. Once stripped of their calling they were kept alive, locked up and institutionalised for the rest of their years. Punishment was not something they messed around with. Personally, Valerie would prefer death, if given the option between the two. Not that she planned to stray from her path. Even if, at times, she had to question some of the things they did in the name of protecting the world.
The receptionist that sat behind the desk inside the motel looked as old as the sign outside. She looked up at them as they walked in, her expression tired yet ambiguous. Valerie slipped her wallet out of her pocket and leaned against the counter. After a quick chat she found out she had enough cash on her to pay upfront for two weeks. Though when she asked for one room, the woman glanced from the blonde to the taller brunette and smirked. Valerie felt the tinge of warmth as pale skin turned slightly pink. When the key was slid across to her she snatched it up with a sigh and turned just in time to witness the growl given to the maid.
Valerie’s eyebrows lifted when Sabra turned to look at her, the explanation direct in such a way that the blonde couldn’t entirely fault it. “Well, she’ll know not to do that again.”
The key dangled from her index finger. The room was on the ground floor towards the back of the building. Valerie opened her mouth to state that fact when a cactus was suddenly pushed towards her on the counter. Baffled she looked up at Sabra, but not before catching the disgruntled look from the receptionist. Evidently, the plant belonged to her. However the brunette’s words, however odd to the woman glaring at them, rang true. Valerie dipped a fingertip into the soil inside the pot and felt how dry it was. The top layer crumbled as she picked at it.
With a frown she excused herself and plucked a little paper cup from the stand where complimentary coffee sat. Though she dreaded to think how long it had been there. She avoided it entirely to get to the water dispenser and filled the cup halfway. Valerie walked back and liberally poured water around the poor thing before she pushed it back towards the woman.
“It might be a cactus but you’ll kill it if you don’t look after it.”
The tone wasn’t cheeky, just laced with fact, and she turned to regard Sabra with a curious look. “Lets take a look at the room.” With that said she headed down the corridor, ignored the elevator and took a left. The second last door read, G14, and she pointed that out to the brunette. “This is your room, the key has the same written on it, see?” Valerie showed her before she unlocked the door and stepped inside.
Fingers found the light switch and she motioned for Sabra to come in. There was a bed in the middle of the room, thick dark blue curtains hid the windows from sight. Several cabinets dotted the walls, a wardrobe stood crookedly next to one of them. Valerie walked towards the only other door and pushed it open. The bathroom, though small, was big enough for one person. It contained a toilet, a sink with a small mirrored cabinet, and a shower. The curtain for which hung at the end, crumpled yet at least clean. In all honesty, the room was better than she’d imagined from the buildings exterior.
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on 2013-09-14 02:20 am (UTC)Slayer leading demon to a motel room... Stranger things might have happened, but they would be few and far between.
When they arrived there, the creature in woman's form took a perusing glance around the room in silence. Human eyes regarding its surroundings as legs began to move, bringing her further into the walled confines. Strange place... Even neat and tidy, it presented a wide variety of strange objects, all foreign to a being such as this. Sabra randomly reaching out to trail fingertips over the surface of wall, then to the bedside lamp. Picking it up, turning it over as she sniffed at it like a wolf. Then, losing interest, put it down to aimlessly turn around, seemingly looking for something. Curiosity taking her to the bathroom, lifting the lid of toilet. Head dipping, then rearing back.
"Clean..."
The remark of observation was an odd one. Did she dislike clean things? Were they not clean enough? No elaboration of the comment as she moved back into the room, sweeping a hand across the sheets atop bed.
"There are no bones," she spoke in mild disappointment. "It will do."