main thread Blackberry Falls

[Neptune]

Welcome all to the Blackberry Falls City

(Suee, DJMax game.)

The Blackberry Falls City is a self-sustaining capital city on a remote island, where the water is pure and the land is free. The city is famous originally for it's delicious and unique Blackberries, as the waterfall contained water that was not only good for the farms and their crops, but made the Blackberry vines grow three times the size, with the blackberries themselves three times the size as well. And at three times the taste, it was something no one had ever tasted before; far superior to other blackberries. This was good for the pie industry as well as the jam industry. It was soon discovered that the water, as well as the fruits that used the water, prolonged life and promoted vitality with human life span, touching on average 110 years old, with the oldest to pass away at 149 years old (If you'd like information on Blackberries, click here). The Country has its own government, with their customs being extremely strict on the importation of food, much like Australia and New Zealand, to prevent damage to their ecology which could cost billions of Blackberrian Dollars to the thriving blackberry industry, and the country’s economy.

Blackberry Falls is a rich, multicultural City that is suitable for all walks of life, with bountiful jobs and housing. At the very centre of the Blackberry Falls economy is Keza Corp and EDAN Industries. They have made Blackberry Falls the forefront of new, cheap, and revolutionary technology. Both Corporations helped protect Blackberry falls during the recession that hit many countries hard. Blackberry Falls continued to be prosperous in the bleak economic climate. Blackberry Falls attracts thousands of people from around the globe, seeking their fortunes among the streets. So here it is... Your chance to help the city to thrive or drag it to it's knees... What will you do?

Skill level: Advanced

Relevant Links:

• Extra Information (A must read)
• Character ID
• Out of Character

Rules:

EcchiDreams Standard Roleplaying Rules, plus:

• No character is allowed to cross the border into the UFF country without my permission. You also cannot have your character as one of the UFF species, without strict permission from myself, and Wolfie. This is a strict rule I will not budge on. Anyone violating this will be asked to leave the RP immediately with little chance of returning.
• Posts must be at least one paragraph long, with a good amount of detail and with good grammar and spelling (barring mistakes). Anything less than a paragraph, such as a one line post, will be removed and the member in question requested to not do that again. If you consistently post less than a paragraph, then your posts will be removed and you will be asked to leave the roleplay.
• If you are wanting a special place in Blackberry Falls, then I will need a detailed extra information before I can add it to the list of locations within Blackberry Falls.

[Neptune]

 

Location: Talivana’s home, UFF.
Date: 24th December, 2016

It was the eve before Christmas, and the house was silent. It was six minutes to midnight, and the children had finally been put down to bed to await the next morning where they would eagerly come down to be greeted with the sight of presents waiting for them under the large decorated tree. Outside, falling unseen, were soft flakes of snow that littered the ground and plunged the world into whiteness. All sounds were muffled, giving the world an eerie, muted feel. Colours were leached from the environment, making everything appear still and colourless. The living room was dim, save for a fire that burned merrily in the fireplace. The only other source of light emanated from the tree, which lit up in bright bursts that scattered a multi-hued rainbow throughout the room to flash against reflective surfaces, making the room come alive with colour in stark contrast with the outside world. Underneath the tree, seeming to sparkle under the light, lay numerous presents, wrapped up neatly with tight bows. They were positioned artfully, surrounding the entire tree and spilling out onto the carpeted floor.

Seated beside the fire in a high backed chair, sat a single figure. She was dressed in a dressing gown that looked almost like a dress that spilled down over her legs and onto the floor. Her long, dark hair was grasped at her neck before it spilled down her back in waves. Standing out against her hair were two large ears that hovered close to her head as they swept upwards and had several spikes running along the bottom. Her eyes were gold in colour, looking out with a calm and steady gaze. Her other features were small, and delicate with plump lips and a small nose that flicked up very slightly towards the tip. Open on her lap was a book which she was reading by the light of the fire. The only sounds in the room was the gleeful cackling of the fire, and the soft rustle of pages being turned. 

Against the wall, sitting sedately by the fireplace, stood a large Grandfather clock. The pendulum swing from side to side as the second hand twitched around the clock face with very faint clicks. As the hands reached midnight, there was a bell like peal that rang through the living room before it fell into silence. Talivana looked up from her book before looking over towards the tree. Whereas before she had been alone, a new figure was stood near the tree. He stood tall, at just over eight feet tall, and he was heavily muscled. He was wearing a red cloak that was cowed at the back, tied around the waist with a large white belt. He was massively build with a heavy set chest and bulging, muscular arms. He suddenly turned around towards Talivana, his grin lost in the depths of his beard that rolled and knotted down his chest. Even though his face was lined with age, his bright blue eyes twinkled with a youthful mischievousness. From under the hood, his white, wavy hair spilled down the sides of his face to be lost within the cloak.

“Well, little Talivana! So good to see you again.” The man said, his voice deep and bassy as it rumbled loudly. 

“Hush. The children are sleeping. You could wake an army with that voice of yours.” Talivana said in a rather tart tone, however her smile was welcoming and warm. The man laughed, the sound echoing around the room,

‘Then I shall be as quiet as a mouse.’ His voice came to Talivana, as deep as his spoken voice. Talivana closed her book and set it aside on the arm of her chair. Gracefully, she stood up and moved over to him. He opened his arms out and caught her in a hug that would crush the bones of a normal Tau’ri, or human as they called themselves. Her arms wrapped around his wide chest, hugging him back for several moments before they pulled away. Her gaze moved towards the tree, only to see that there were many more presents sitting under the tree. She looked back at him, 

‘Thank you.’ She thanked him gratefully.

He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling with mirth, ‘There is need to thank me, dear. There have been many good little boys and girls that deserve a gift.’ He replied with a soft, rumbling chuckle.

Talivana smiled again, looking towards the fire, ‘The only gift I wanted this Christmas was to see you again. It’s why I waited up.’ She told him.

‘I know. It’s why I allowed you to catch me. You’ve done very well over the years, little Talivana. Your mother and father would have been proud of you.’ He told her, his tone almost solemn.

‘I know. It’s been hard, though. Sometimes I wonder if I’m strong enough to keep going.’ She admitted to him, her expression a little drawn. He laid a hand on her shoulder, which was covered in gold gauntlets,

‘I know you can do it. You’re too much like your mother not to. You’re not alone, Talivana. I am here, as is Triavana, and as is Kaylarvana. The reward for your patience will be great, I can promise you that. You won’t always be alone.’ The figure told her encouragingly.

Talivana was still for a moment before the smiled again, ‘Thank you. I needed that.’ She said, feeling better for his support and encouragement. He always knew exactly what to say, as if he knew intimately her fears and concerns. The man let out a soft laugh,

‘Always, little Talivana, always.’ He said before he disappeared from view, leaving the ghost of his chuckle behind. Talivana remained standing where she was for a few moments, before she moved back towards her chair and picked up her book. She tucked it away in a bookshelf, before moving to the fire and locking in the cage as she waved a hand over the fireplace to snuff out the flames. The room went completely silent as colours flashed around her. She put her hand briefly on the mantle of the fireplace before she turned and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her as she left to go to bed, to rest for the next day. 

Location: Basement of the Promiscuous Palace.
Date: Date: 25th December, 2016, moments after midnight.

At the same time that Talivana had been speaking to the strange figure in red, Diomedes, the Daedric General of Time, Space and Dimensions, was sitting alone beneath the sealed and abandoned Promiscuous Palace. He was sat in his comfortable office chair, wrapping in a dark cloak. His feet were resting up upon the table as he was slouched slightly. His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but it appeared that he had his eyes fixed on a wall of screens in front of him. The footage that each screen played was a different perspective of the Promiscuous Palace insides. The rooms, and halls were dark, quiet and, for the most part, empty as if the entire palace had been abandoned at a moment’s notice. There was even half-eaten meals sitting on the dining room table, preserved in the vacuum inside the building. 

There was one exception, however. In each of the video feeds was a single figure that stared towards the camera. It was a young-appearing, white furred Mako, which appeared slightly similar to a wolf anthromorph, but belonging to an entirely different species. He stared at the camera, his face completely blank of emotions and his eyes looking lifeless. He stood somewhere, in the view of each camera, staring towards the viewers. Every time Diomedes looked away, the figures moved before he could look back again. Still staring. Still watching.

The only place unoccupied by these strange ghosts, was the basement, which is where Diomedes was currently living. He had converted it to his use, as he was going to be here for a few hundred years. He was currently sitting in the part that he had made into a small living area, which had a small kitchen for cooking and a small area for sitting down and relaxing. Most of the space, however, was taken up by the security terminal and the screens that displayed the feed from the cameras. A door lead into a room which he had assigned into his bedroom, with a King sized bed and a drawer for his clothes. The bedroom also had access to a bathroom was that only large enough for a small shower, toilet and sink. Another door from the living area lead into a room which he had designated his lab, for him to run some of his experimental tests, and research, when he felt like it. There was also a small room close to the kitchen area that lead into a room where he could wash and dry his clothes, as well as a store of food. It was small, but it served his purposes. He didn’t need anymore than that.

It wasn’t that decorated, though. It was rather bland and tasteless, but Diomedes cared little for how the place looked. As long as it served its function, he didn’t feel the need for embellishment. As such, despite it being Christmas, the basement was devoid of christmas decorations. It looked the same as it did every other day of the year. Most people, had they spent extended periods of time in the basement, would not realise that one of the UFFs and Ashean’s biggest holidays was happening. Diomedes was not one to celebrate such holidays, and since he was not expecting anyone, he made no effort to get the place ready for visitors. Today would be spent much long the other days of the year for him. Sitting in his seat, watching the large monitors in front of him and staring back at the mysterious figure that existed within every video feed. Alone.

However, he wasn’t as alone as he had first thought it was. Diomedes looked over his shoulder to see the same red cloaked figure standing nearby. One of his well-formed eyebrows shot up in surprise, “Here to give me my yearly coal?” He asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.

The figure laughed, a loud, booming sound that echoed around the room, “No, no… I have no coal for you this year… you’ve been a good boy. A very good boy.” The man said, his voice getting progressively louder as if he was unable to help it. Diomedes gave a scornful snort, turning his eyes back towards the screens. He heard the figure let out a soft chuckle before he saw out of the corner of his eye an object being placed down on the table. Diomedes turned his head to look behind him, however the figure was completely gone, along with the sense of his presence. The Daedra gave another scornful snort before he turned to look at what Santrin had put down on the desk. It was a present, wrapped on a vibrant purple paper with a golden bow. He sighed, not particularly in the mood for such things. He found little joy in many things he once used to love doing. This holiday being one of them. He never paid attention to it anymore, nor did he care about the date of his birth. He tried to remember when exactly that was, but the information seemed to slip from him. He then shrugged, because he lacked the will to care. He reached forward, picking up the present and holding it in his hands for a few moments. Despite his lack of enthusiasm, he was still curious about what it was. So he took hold of one end of the bow string and carefully pulled it to cause it to unravel. He then carefully undid the wrapping, preserving the paper like he had done since he was a little boy.

When he had pulled the wrapping off, he found himself looking at a carved wooden box, made from some kind of dark wood with an almost black grain to it. It had been polished with a loving hand, and there was a silvery metal clip on the front that locked it. He looked at the top of the box which seemed to have been carved in with the name ‘Talrin’. The grooves had been filled with a purple coloured gold, up to be flush with the wood surface. It was done in such a way that it almost looked as if it was part of the actual wood itself. His eyebrows raising, Diomedes took hold of the clip and lifted it up to see what was inside. There was a dark purple velvet material that lined the inside of the box, including the lid. Sitting in the cushion, was a strange looking device. It was made from gold, and looked to be able to slip onto his hand, with a circular gold piece that would sit comfortable in his palm. There was two pieces of gold that emerged from either side of this main part, that curved upwards and met in the middle, which would allow him to slip it onto his hand and remain firmly fixed. He picked up the device and turned it around to look at the main part of it, where he could see a green crystal embedded into the gold. There were several Eldyrannthian runes around the crystal that were indicative of healing spells. It was a healing device, one that he had been working on when he was much younger. He had not been able to complete it before he had been banished. And yet, this was finished. He looked down into the box and saw a little note. He put the device aside and picked up the note,

‘Your Father told me about your little project. I decided to have a look at it, and finish it off for you. 

Happy Holidays, My Little Dove. I can’t wait to see you again xxx’

Diomedes screwed up the note in his hand, letting out a breath through his nose. He knew, that normally, he would have been very touched by the gift as well as the sweet note, however he felt nothing. And that angered him, because he wanted to feel something, and yet he couldn’t. No matter how deeply he tried to search. He then let out a sigh, as he picked up the healing device and put it into the box. He didn’t particularly want to give it much of a closer inspection. He would leave that until later. He closed it with a snap, before he stood up and went into the bedroom which only had a King-sized bed, that was a little longer than what was normal for Earth, and a chest of drawers. There was only a single bedside table, that had a lamp, but there was nothing else sitting on top of it. Like the main living area, the bedroom was very bland and lacked any kind of decoration. Diomedes opened the top drawer, which was filled with numerous personal effects. He pushed some aside, placing down the box in the corner before he closed the drawer with a snap. He then returned to the main living area and sat himself down in his office chair. He put his feet back up on the table, turning his eyes back to the screens in front of him, taking a deep breath before letting it back out. 

If Santrin had thought that the gift would have been good for him, then his good intentions were sorely misplaced. If anything, it reminded Diomedes what was missing, and he felt his isolation even more keenly. Not only from those that he loved, but from his people entirely. They were so close at hand, and yet he was unable to join them. Right now, they were as unaccessable as the far side of the Universe, on an uninhabited planet. He shook his head slightly, cursing himself for having such unnecessary thoughts. He was not here to sit and feel sorry for himself. It was a useless activity that had nothing to do with why he was here and it was a waste of time. 

Diomedes turned his eyes to the video feed of outside, noticing that it was snowing heavily in the darkness. But other than that, everything was completely still. He did spot some fresh rabbit tracks, but the snow that drifted down was quickly covering up the evidence that any living creature had passed through. As there was nothing of interest, Diomedes turned his eyes back to the other monitors, returning to his staring match with the blank-faced Mako, who’s gaze seemed to to stare into his fractured soul.

[Manni]

Location: Outside the Naughty Cow Dairy's Reception Building

 

As David stept out of the Lexus that Alleyne kindly gave him a lift to the Dairy in, he wondered what on earth possessed him to send his resume into the dairy in the first place. Then he remembered. One of his friends dared him to send his resume into the dairy, probably as some kind of joke as they knew the reaction they'd get from him. Unfortunately, they were in the same room so he couldn't just pretend to send it. He actually had to send a serious resume to them. The most surprising thing, however, is that they responded and asked for a interview! What on earth possessed them to do that?! Goodness knows. Anyway, he know found himself stuck out there with nowhere to go. He knew he couldn't back out now...or at least he thought he couldn't. Alleyne would never let him hear the end of it but not because she was mean but because she felt it would do David some good to get out more and have some job experience. Even she, someone not related to David but knew them well, was worried about him.

"David, you okay? You look a bit worried." Alleyne said to David. "I know this sounds cliche but try not to worry so much about the result! It will be okay, whatever happens. I'll be around so just ring me when you're finished and I'll come pick you up."

David nodded in response, not being able to say much as he was too busy worrying about what was going to happen.  Damn it, it felt like there were literal butterflies in his stomach. He was nervous but he had to do this. After closing the car door, he walked slowly to the reception building. As he entered the building, the first thing he noticed was the young elven secretary that was working at the front. Goodness, she looked cute...

NO DAVID, do not go there. INVALID MOVE. He thought to himself as he self admonished for looking at the cute elven girl. If there was one thing that turned him on, it was elven women. Goodness knows the amount of time he spend fantasising about them and jerking him off to those fantasies. But really, what interest would those beautiful creatures have with him? He approached the desk cautiously, almost as if he were scared of the person at the desk. In a way, he was scared. He was scared that the girl was going to take one look at him and laugh at him...or something. He didn't know.

"Umm...he..hello?" David managed to stutter out. "I'm here ab-bout the inter-view"

 

[Neptune]

Location: Reception, Naughty Cow Dairy

Alvina was bored out of her mind. She has been sitting at the front desk of the Naughty Cow Dairy for several hours now. There had not been many calls, or emails for her to deal with. She had completed what little work she had, and was merely sitting about. She had used the spare time to work on her school work, but again, that was easily completed. The only thing that was of any interest, was that someone was coming in for a job interview. The young elf hummed softly to herself as she tapped her fingers against the table. For a lack of nothing better to do, she began to move some things on her table, to neaten it up and to make it more presentable. But there wasn’t much to move, because of how sparse it was. Alvina had not been doing this for long, and she figured that she should perhaps bring something that would add a personal touch to her workplace. Despite the fact that she was working, while attending school, it was earning her money which she was saving up for when she attended the University. She needed as much as she could, and her mother, and Aeslia had given her this amazing opportunity. It would give her much needed experience of the corporate world that she hoped to get into later in her life. 

Alvina was startled from her thoughts when the door opened and a slim figure entered the room. She blinked, looking the man up and down for several moments. He looked to be of average height, and he had slightly messy black hair. She rather liked his eyes; a lovely sky blue. She gave him a wide, friendly smile as he approached, looking nervous. Wanting to try and help calm him down, she spoke in a quiet, warm voice,

“David, correct?” She glanced towards the time on her computer, “A little early. That’s a good thing. Please just take a seat; I’ll let you know when they’re ready to see you.” She added with that same, warm smile as she indicated towards a small seating area that had a comfortable looking sofa and two chairs. She sat up a little straighter on her seat, turning to her computer as she sent an email to her mother to inform her that the interviewee had arrived and was waiting. 

[Manni]

Wait...how the hell does she know my name?! David wondered for a second before remembering the obvious. She was the RECEPTIONIST and would have had to have looked at his application (that had his photo attached) to know who was applying and such. No, it wasn't because she was interested in YOU or that she was a stalker. Which got David wondering if he would like a cute girl chasing after him? Which resulted in David instantly thinking that it was highly unlikely to happen. Why would any girl be interested in him? That was beside the point though, as he realised that the cute girl was talking to him and directing him to sit down.

"Umm...yes, I am David." he replied nervously, looking distracted and unsure of himself. He wasn't ogling her or perving on her, that much could be said. He just seemed a bit like he was thinking too much. About what, goodness knows. Given his manner, it could be asked if he ever talked to a female before. 

[Neptune]

Location: Reception, Naughty Cow Dairy

Alvina tilted her head, looking at the man in front of her curiously. He seemed extremely nervous and unsure. Almost scared. He seemed really pale, and his restless looking eyes looked to be that he was thinking too much. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to end up fainting or not being able to utter a squeak. She turned away from her computer, leaning forward slightly as she looked at him with concern,

“David? Are you alright? You seem… nervous.” She asked, before giving him a smile, “I understand. Interviews are very nerve wracking. Try and keep calm, and collected. Confidence is the key.” She said to him, pushing back her chair as she stood up. She moved over to one corner to a water cooler, drawing off a cup of ice cold water and moving over to where David stood. She offered him the drink, 

“Take a few breathes, have some water and calm down before you hyperventilate or something. You seem nice. I think the CEO will like you… although, you look like as if you’re about to faint. I do advise that you sit down for a few moments.” Alvina said, genuinely worried for him. He seemed like a really nice guy. Someone she would love to work with and, she hoped, a possible friend as well. Possibly more, if he was in any way inclined. She had never had a male friend before, and had only had sex with Aeslia and her own mother, so she had no experience with actual men. She shook that thought out of her head, as she needed to remain professional, “Hopefully you can get enough time to catch your breath before you’re called in.” She said with a reassuring smile.

[Manni]

Fortunately for both of them, David was not about to hyperventilate though he did look a bit pale probably feeling rather nervous. Honestly, it wasn't just the prospect of the interview that made him nervous though. The fact that there was a cute elven girl standing not that far in front of him and was talking to him didn't help. Of course, he could NOT TELL how old she was. With elves, as far as he knew, someone like him wouldn't be able to tell how old they were by just looking. As he was thinking about all this, Alvina went and got him a cup of water. He noticed that she had moved, when she came back holding a cup of water. Was he looking that bad? There were not any mirrors he could look into to see his condition. He certainly did not feel sweaty or hot. He was just..stressed. He carefully took the cup of water, trying not to make any weird moves...or moves that would be considered untoward. 

"Thank you." David said, managing a clumsy smile. He took a few moments to drink the water out of the cup before heading towards the seats to sit down, as the girl suggested. She seemed to be a rather nice person though it still didn't make it easier for him to deal with. It took a little bit for him to get some measure of composure back. As he waited, he started to think about the ad that brought him here. To him, it was odd that the exact details of the product he was meant to be tasting was vague and the name of this Dairy...was odd to say the least.

[Neptune]

Location: Reception, Naughty Cow Dairy

Alvina gave him a beaming smile when he thanked her for the drink, satisfied that she had done something to cause someone to be grateful. He was very polite, and seemed quite sweet. She moved back towards her reception desk and sat down, humming softly to herself. She turned to her computer, and began wasting time while waiting for her mother to call David into her office so that she could interview him. Silence fell on the room, as Alvina allowed David time to himself to gather his confidence before facing the interview he was so nervous about. Finally, she recieved a message through her computer from her mother. Opening it up, she saw the instruction to send David in. The elven girl looked at David with a smile,

“She’s ready to see you, now. Just go on through that door.” Alvina instructed, pointing towards a door that had a nameplate stating “Silvina - CEO”. She looked back towards David again, hoping that he would do well. While he seemed nervous, she liked him, and she could see herself working with him. There was no doubt in her mind that her mother would like David as well. 

[Manni]

Location: Reception, Naughty Cow Dairy.

David lost track of time as he waited to be called in for the interview, the few minutes that he actually waited felt much longer. Fortunately, for everyone, David had calmed down enough for the interview to take place without fainting. Thank goodness for that. He was still a bit nervous, for certain, but at least it was a manageable kind of nervousness. It was the kind of anxiety anyone would feel in the same situation. At least he wouldn't make a fool of himself straight away. That much David was certain of.  When Alvina called to him, saying that the 'big boss' was ready to see him, he nodded to Alvina and got up off the seat he was sitting on. Looks like this was it, he was really going to have this interview! And to think this was really just a 'dare' he found himself in that he had to fulfil. If he somehow got through this, he would have to remember to give his friend a good talking to. The fact that they managed to put him this situation was not something David liked, at least at the moment. Well, the cute elven receptionist was nice but he couldn't be sure what would happen next.

Taking a deep breath, he approached the door with the CEO's name on it. Though it had no last name on it, he wondered if the boss was related to the girl up front. Or perhaps that was just him making an assumption. He knocked on the door, hoping that this would alert the person that he was coming in. Though he doubted he would be a surprise. After all, the receptionist would have told them he was here already.

[Neptune]

Location: Reception and CEO Office, Naughty Cow Dairy
 
The moment David had knocked on the door, a feminine voice called out, “Come in!” When the door was opened, it revealed a modestly sized office. There was a polished oak desk, with two comfortable seats in front of it for visitors to sit themselves down. The carpet was a deep red in colour, and clearly made from carpeted tiles. The lower half of the walls were covered in wood, with ornate patterns that emerged slightly from the wall above the dark skirting board. The top half of the wall was a terracotta colour, which went well with both the wood and the carpet and making the room feel a little larger than it actually was. Along the back wall was a wide curtain, with thick blinds that were opened to reveal an open field, and the view of a cottage nearby. On the right wall of the office, there were several filing cabinets with some shelves above them which were neatly stacked with folders. On the left side of the office, there was a table along the wall, between two bookshelves that were already filled with various books. The table was used as a means to decorate the office, with a spider plant situated in the centre, its leaves creeping out across the wooden surface. On each side of the plant were two decorative statues, one of them a feminine figure that looks almost like a Greek Goddess who wielded a staff. On the other side, was what seemed to be a masculine figure, although there was a slight femininity to him. In his hands, he held an hourglass, with the sand dripping down into the bottom part. His face looked to be forever old, and yet forever young.
 
On the desk, was the flat screen of a computer, with the back of the monitor facing towards the door of the office so whomever walked in couldn’t see what was on the screen. There was a keyboard, and a mouse, with wires that disappeared down a hole close to the monitor where they presumably went to the actual computer that was hidden from view. On the other corner of the desk, there was a small white vase which had an orchid growing from it, with deep purple flowers. There was a pencil pot, filled with a few pens and pencils that looked well-maintained. There was also a neat little stack of post-it notes, with several pads of varying colours. Other than that, the desk was empty. Overall, the office screamed that the owner was someone that was very neat and organised. Indeed, the Elven maid that sat behind the desk in a black coloured office chair, looked very neat herself. She was wearing a black business suit, with a white blouse underneath it, a knee-length skirt with black coloured tights. On her feet, she wore smart looking, one inch heels. Her hair was blonde in colour, with her eyes a deep blue in colour. Her expression was one of studious concentration as she was looking at her computer monitor. The moment her door opened, however, she tore her eyes away from it and looked at the figure in front of her. She gave him a welcoming smile, before she stood up and held her hand out for him to shake, “Hello, David. I’m Silvina, the CEO, and the one doing your interview today.” She greeted him with a warm voice.

[Manni]

As David entered the office, he couldn't help but notice that the office was quite neat and tidy...which one would expect out of a office of a company of any size. Obviously, David was not familiar with interview spaces and so had no expectations of them. He liked the polished desk, which was so polished that he swore he could almost see himself from where he was standing. Not that he'd particularly liked looking at himself but the desk looked nice. In fact, the office did have a 'new' smell to it, like it hadn't been established that long ago. His eyes looked around the room a bit more, taking notice of the two decorative statues on the left side of the room. They looked rather nice and fancy. It was then his eyes moved to the middle of the room, where the polished office desk was.  He could see that the desk was immaculate and neat, with all the office supplies in their appropriate places and receptacles. Sitting in front of the computer was an elven woman who looked startlingly similar to the receptionist out front, as if they were related by blood or something.  If the elven out front was 'cute', then this elven woman was...umm...quite something. David had to take a moment to remind himself to not distracted and get through the interview in one piece. He did not think he could afford to screw up just because the interviewer looked attractive. That was something he would not be able to live down, at least at the moment.

He gulped, hoping to calm his nerves down a bit and also because he was in front of a rather attractive elven woman. He dearly hoped that she couldn't read minds because if she could, perhaps she'd find all his 'dirty laundry' and all the times he'd fantasised about elves. No no no, this was not the time for that now. When he got a bit closer to the desk, the woman he believed was Silvina, warmly extended her hand for him to shake.  He knew that he would have to shake her hand as not to be rude and while he did it without hesitation, he could not help but feel like he was somehow dirtying this woman. 

"Umm, yes! Hello, I'm David."

[Neptune]

Location: CEO Office, Naughty Cow Dairy

Silvina’s smile became even warmer, “It’s good to meet you. You arrived quite promptly. That’s good to see.” She then grinned at him before she let go of his hand and indicated for him to sit down in the chair that was in front of her desk. She waited for him to sit himself, before she sat back down behind her desk. She placed her lower arms on the desk in front of her and interlocked her fingers, “Now, David. You’re here to apply for the Quality Control position, correct?” She asked rhetorically, as that information was on the computer screen right in front of her. Since she didn’t expect, nor even want him to answer verbally, she continued on, “To be our Quality Control expert requires a set of particular skills. We require someone with a refined palate, to ensure that our products taste the very best. We are after luxury here, and we want to serve only the best product. It states in your resume that you have a good palate, but I want to verify this.” She reached over and tapped something on her phone. A moment later, Alvina came into the office carrying a tray with something covered in a white cloth, hiding its contents from view. She placed the tray down in front of her mother, before leaving the room once again. Silvina looked at David and said, “I want you to close your eyes, sample everything on this tray and tell me which each one is. If you have a palate as good as your resume claims, then this should be easy for you.” She smiled at him. 

Underneath the white cloth were six plain white bowls, containing six different food pieces for David to sample. The first contained a simple coleslaw, the second was horse radish, the third had mushrooms that had been cooked in garlic butter. The fourth was a sample of what was known as ‘Blackberry Island Sauce’, which was a rich dark sauce made from the juices of the blackberries that grew on the island. The fifth was small cubes of cooked sweet potato and the very last one contained a soft garlic and herb cheese. There was also a glass filled with the sweet, clear water that was abundant on the island, from the main river so that David could clear the tastes from his mouth after eating a bit of each sample. There were also five very small white cups, containing a sample of each of their products however she was keeping them away from David for the moment, as she didn’t want him to taste them until after she had confirmed his tasting abilities and asked him a few questions. Then she would see what he had to say about their product.

[Manni]

David sat down on the chair in front of the CEO's desk as he was told and then listened to what Silvina had to say. Yes, he knew that his friend had somehow convinced him to sign up to the 'Quality Control' position of this company. He had no idea what to expect though. She watched as the cute elven receptionist from earlier carry a tray covered in a white cloth into the room and then leave. From this, David figured that he was going to be doing some sort of taste test. As Silvina told him what he was going to do, David wondered what was under the cloth. He hoped it wasn't too weird. As he closed his eyes, he heard the cloth on the tray being removed. He then moved his hand to pick up the first bowl and brought it over close to his face so he could smell it. He could tell there was mayonnaise in there but wanted to know what else was in there. So he put the bowl back down in front of him and then with his other hand, took a bit of the contents of the bowl and put it in his mouth. He could definitely tell what was in it now. It was a simple cole slaw of shredded carrots, red onion and cabbage with some homemade whole egg mayonnaise. He could tell that the mayonnaise had egg, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard and canola oil. He could tell there was oil and vinegar and mustard in there as the dressing was thick and creamy, which meant it emulsification had to have taken place. After eating a bit of the contents of the first bowl, he then told Silvina what was in it. He then did the same thing with the second bowl, which he identified as grated horseradish with a bit of vinegar in it to stop it from oxidizing. The third bowl was button mushroom cooked with a compound butter that had garlic in it. He could tell the mushroom were properly cooked and the amount of butter used was not excessive as there was no oily feel to the mushrooms. The fourth bowl he identified as containing one of Blackberry Island's major exports, Blackberry Island Sauce. The fifth bowl he said there were cubes of oven baked sweet potato in there. With the last bowl, he said that there was Blackberry's own brand of garlic and herb cheese, which was similar to Boursin. 

[Neptune]

Location: CEO Office, Naughty Cow Dairy

Silvina sat, watching the young man that was sat in front of her. His expression was one of intense concentration as he tasted the samples in the pot. From the way his jaw and lips moved, he was moving them around his mouth to get a full and complete picture of what it was before swallowing it and informing her what he could taste. She had the answers up on her screen, hidden from David, and she was startled by just how accurate he was. So accurate that he surprised the baseline of what she would consider acceptable. A smile curled on her lips as she continued watching him sample each pot and list out everything in them. When he had finished, she let out a soft chuckle,

“Very impressive, David. You have to have the most impressive palate I’ve ever encountered. No one has ever been able to taste in such intense detail before. This is starting of very well.” She told him as she covered the bowls again and pulled the tray aside, encouraging, “Clear your taste buds with some water, dear.”

Once she had shifted the tray, she once again interlocked her fingers on the table in front of her, “Now. So far you’ve proven yourself very well suited to the roll. Much more suitable than any other candidate we’ve had. But, even so, I’m still going to have to ask those dreaded interview questions,” She said seriously, before she then smiled at him in a reassuring manner. From his demeanor, she could tell that he wasn’t someone that was likely to cause a lot of trouble. In fact her first impressions was that he was perhaps a little shy, but someone she felt that she could get along with and work with. He had definitely impressed her with how well he had passed her first test, of which already had hear leaning towards hiring him on the spot. She then asked the first of her questions, which was actually two that she had rolled into one, “Please, David, tell me about yourself? Why did you apply for this job?

[Manni]

After the testing it was all done, David wondered what was going to happen next. Since he hadn't been to many interviews, he didn't really know what was going to happen next. When Silvina told David to drink some water to cleanse his taste buds, he reached over for the water with one of his greasy hands and drank. As he drank, he wondered if Silvina was telling the truth or just flattering him. He saw no reason why she'd be lying to him but it just sounded so unbelievable...that he was actually good at something. Certainly, he didn't think he had much to offer to this place but if the boss thought he had something, then he might just have it. Then came the 'dreaded interview questions. Now, David was starting to get a bit nervous. He hated open-ended questions like these as he had no idea what exactly the person asking them was after. If only they could ask something a bit more specific, he wouldn't be so nervous. It didn't help that Silvina did ask him to tell her about himself. Why did she have to ask that? It's not like he was THAT interesting! He froze, not sure of what to tell her. What really could he tell her about himself that would be interesting?! He couldn't easily think of something to say, not much seemed to stand out to him. 

"Umm...I...Well..." David stammered as he tried to figure out what to tell her about himself. "Well, I only came to this country fairly recently, about 6 months ago from Australia. I was born in Australia and have lived there most of my life with my parents. I currently live with one of my uncles, who happens to be some sort of tech guy for the Police Department. Umm...what else..?"

At this point, David was remembered that she asked another question along side of this. She had asked why he applied for this job! Oh crap, now this was going to be painful! 

"Well...to be honest...one of my friends...talked me into trying for this job. They had heard rumours of rather...unusual things going on here." David said honestly but with dejection in his voice. He was dejected because that was not exactly you should say to your boss.

[Neptune]

Location: CEO Office, Naughty Cow Dairy

Silvina tilted her head slightly as she listened to him nervously speak. She could tell that he had a low self-esteem and was clearly not confident in himself. So her estimate that he was shy was quite true. Her eyes didn’t leave his face, indicating to him that she was paying attention to everything that he was telling her. Her eyebrows rose up slightly when he admitted that the reason why he was here, was because one of his friends had talked him into applying for the job, because they had heard of strange things that happened here. As the CEO, she knew exactly what these ‘strange things’ were, that he was referring to. She herself, had heard a number of rumours when she had been out and about with shopping. Some of them had been quite close, and others had frankly put her into hysterical laughter from how outlandish they were. Her reasuring smile was still on her lips, as he seemed to draw in, on himself in a dejected manner.

“Australia, hmm? I thought you had an accent. I hope you’ve found Ashea to be a good place. I’ve lived here my entire life. It’s got some beautiful sights. If you haven’t been sightseeing already, I could recommend some places for you.” She then grinned before it dropped slightly, “I appreciate honesty above all, David. I thank you for being frank. Your friend may have very well done you a favour in talking you to coming here to apply for a job. I’m very much aware about those kinds of rumours. Hardly surprising since we’re not exactly your normal business. But we’ll speak about that, later.” She said before she went on to another question. He had already alluded to why he had left any previous employment, by the simple admission that he was actually new here in Ashea, so she didn’t want to have him uselessly repeat himself. So she moved onto the next one on her list, “Can you tell me about your education, and work experience?” She asked.

[Manni]

Considering that she hadn't laughed him out of the room or indicated that he had embarrassed himself, David wondered if he had actually done an okay job with what was going on in front of him. Frankly, it was a surprise to him that he was still in the room and still talking. Now, since things were not going badly, he could at least try to think that this might go somewhere. When Silvina asked him about his education and work experience, David was partly relieved. At least this time, this was  a question that he could answer straight. Even though he thought his resume was not exactly 'gold class' material, it was at least honest and functional. 

"Well, I passed high school and did a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Queensland. I have also starting distance education on a diploma of IT." David said honestly, though he wondered if he left that off his resume. He was pretty sure he had put it in there. Oh well, didn't matter that much. Now came the hard part of discussing his work experience. Well, given that he was studying all this time, he hadn't had much of an opportunity to get a lot of work experience done. At least he had some basic work experience with entry level retail such as working in supermarkets and small stores. "As for work experience, I've got some retail work experience with one of the major supermarket chains back in Australia and a few small speciality retailers back home."

[Neptune]

Location: CEO Office, Naughty Cow Dairy

Silvina nodded absently as he spoke, turning his words over in her mind. His experience told her that he was at least used to interacting with customers, and work colleagues. So perhaps once he had gotten over his shyness, he would make a pleasant colleague. She didn’t like working with loud, obnoxious people. The quieter ones were much better, in her opinion. His degrees weren’t particularly useful in this job, from first glance since this job involved him ensuring the quality of their products. Neither of which needed an arts degree, nor a diploma in IT. He had already displayed the qualities that she was looking for. 

“Very good. So you have some experience, although nothing in what this job is for. But the skills you learnt there would become very useful indeed. Now, David, here comes a real test of your honesty,” She said, before giving him a faint smile, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” She then asked him. She had a feeling that the answers to her question were likely to be very interesting.

Location: Talivana’s House, the UFF.
Date: 25th December, 2016 @ 06:00

Talivana came up from a deep sleep as her alarm began to shriek incessantly. She shifted on the bed, frowning slightly before she turned on her side, reached out and turned the alarm off. She was tempted to get a few more minutes of snoozing, however she knew that she had to get up to begin cooking the turkey. It was a large bird, and thus needed a lot of time to be able to cook thoroughly. With a sigh, she slowly opened her golden eyes before pushing back the thick covers of her bed. She slipped from them, revealing that she was completely naked but then with such thick blankets she didn’t need night clothes when sleeping. She turned and made her side of the bed to smooth out any wrinkles in the sheets. Once she was satisfied, she walked into her en-suite bathroom, went to the toilet and showered before she emerged with a towel wrapped around her. 

Thankfully, she had prudently made the flooring of her bedroom hardwood flooring. All manner of dirt, and hairs got caught in a carpet which were only then picked up by her feet due to the sticky nano-hairs that covered the sole of her feet. And that was not even counting the fluff that carpets seemed to always give off. It made her feel filthy, and she hated the feeling. A hardwood floor was a lot easier to keep clean, and she could easily peel her feet back off of it. Talivana towel dried herself down, to get herself as dry as possible before rubbing it through her long black hair. She hung up her towel to dry before going over to her chest of drawers to pull out a pair of black thigh highs, which she slipped onto her legs and drawing them all the way up to her thighs. Not only were these socks warmer, but they covered her feet to prevent them from sticking to everything. Talivana sat herself down at her dressing table, picking up her comb and running it through her thick hair to get rid of all the tangles. She then blow dried her hair, until the silky strands were completely dried through and she couldn’t feel any damp patches. Satisfied, she turned the hairdryer off, and put everything away so that her dressing table was once again neat and tidy. 

Talivana stood back up and went back over to her chest of drawers, pulling out a set of matching black underwear, before she pulled out a pair of black jeans which would fit snugly to her as well as a tight fitting, but plain T-shirt. She put the clothing items on before she went to her wardrobe and opened it up and pulling out a deep purple jumper that was thick and warm looking. With a smile, she pulled in on, tucking it down over her arse. Now that she was dressed, she needed to get on with the morning preparations. Hopefully she would be done by the time the children get up. 

Talivana went downstairs into the quiet ground floor, as it was clear that she was the only one up at this hour. It was warm in the house, as she had left the heating on overnight, but it wasn’t so warm that people couldn’t walk about comfortably wrapped up in cardigans or onesies. Just as it should be on a Christmas morning. She stepped into the living room turning on the main light, which was still the same as it had been the night before. She went up to the curtains and opened them up to reveal the white blanket outside, hazy through the netting and the darkness of the pre-dawn sky. The sight made her smile. She had always loved having snow on christmas. It made it feel more special.

Turning away from the window, Talivana entered the clean kitchen and turned on the light so that she could see what she was doing. She opened the large American style double-door fridge and pulled out a massive twenty-five pound turkey. There were other meats, such as a beef joint and a pork joint, but she didn’t need to start cooking them for a while yet. She used her foot to close the fridge door behind her and carried the turkey over to the centre island, which was used as a butcher's table for meat. Due to her natural Eldyrannth strength, the turkey was no problem to move around.

Once it was sat on the table, Talivana used her ability of telekinesis to reach into the turkey and pull out the bag of giblets as well as the neck. She made them float over to the bin before dropping into it. She didn’t use her hands not only because she didn’t like getting herself dirty like that, but her hands were covered by her gauntlets which were awkward to clean. Once Talivana made sure that the cavity was cleaned out, she carried the turkey over to the sink and gently lowered it into the metallic bowl before turning on the tap and rinsing the turkey thoroughly. Once that step was done, she pulled out the turkey and placed it down on the side.

Talivana went over to one of her ovens, turning it on to two-hundred degrees celsius so that it would pre-heat while she was stuffing the turkey. The stuffing that had been desired this year was sage and onion stuffing which she had prepared the night before and had left in the fridge overnight. She opened the fridge again, pulling out the tupperware container and carried it back to the turkey. She went to her cutlery drawer and got a spoon before coming back and proceeding to spoon up the stuffing before pushing it into the cavity of the uncooked bird. Once it was all in the turkey, Talivana put the container and the spoon aside as she carefully folded the flaps of the cavity to ensure that the stuffing would remain inside of the bird. She then prepared a mildly salty brine mixed heavily with aromatic herbs and some spices. She brushed on a very thin coating of the brine, coating the outer skin of the bird. 

Once the brining was complete, she carried the stuffing container and the brine bowl over to the sink, placing them into it before she went over to her cupboard full of pots and pans. She pulled out a large booking pan before placing it next to the turkey, eyeing the two up before nodding in satisfaction. This pan would definitely be large enough. She pulled out aluminium foil from a shelf on the butchers table, before pulling some of the silver foil from the roll. She tore off the first piece, laying it lengthwise in the pan, before tearing off another piece and laying it down the other way so that she could easily wrap the turkey up. She put the box of foil away before lifting the turkey up and placing it into the pan. She checked it over to make sure that it was sat in the centre.

She left the turkey to settle, going back over to her pots and pans cupboard and pulling out a small pan which she placed on the hob of one of her stoves and turned it on. She went back to the fridge before picking out a stick of butter and returning to the stove. Unwrapping the butter, she used a sharp knife to cut off a generous amount before dropping it into the pan for it to melt. She returned the rest of the butter to the fridge before she returned to the stove and used a small wooden spoon the stir the butter and encourage the melting. Once it was melted, she added fresh herbs like full rosemary leaves, as well as sage. She stirred it for a few moments before lifting the pan from the stove and putting the spoon aside to replace it with a brush. She liberately brushed the melted butter all over the turkey. 

When every drop of butter had been brushed and poured onto the turkey, Talivana put the pan aside before wrapping the turkey up with the aluminium foil. Once it was wrapped up like a present, she picked it up and carried it over to the oven which she opened with telekinesis. She put the turkey into the oven, intending on leaving it at that temperature for now before turning it down to do a more slow cook. She closed the oven before she turned on and began to clean up, humming softly to herself. She glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was almost eight in the morning. No doubt the younger children were going to wake up soon, excited for the pile of presents under the tree. But she still should have time to clean up the mess she had made this morning, have something small to eat and enjoy a nice cup of tea before anyone else woke up. She liked the thought of having some peace this day before things became a lot more excitable. She had a full house today, with plenty of visitors. Just the way she loved to celebrate the holidays.

Location: Basement, The Promiscuous Palace, The UFF.
Date: 25th December, 2016 @ 06:00

Unlike Talivana, Diomedes was not pulling himself out of bed before dawn to attend to the preparation of food. In fact, he had not even gone to bed the previous night after Santrin’s visit. A visit that Diomedes wished had not happened. He was far too restless to even think about laying down. He could barely sit still in his chair. His fingers were restlessly drumming on the desk in front of him, as his eyes darted from one viewing screen to another, looking without actually seeing. It was more the desire to keep moving than want to keep looking at the screens. He shifted on his seat, slightly to one side and putting more pressure on one buttcheek as he crossed the opposite leg over the other. He seemed to still for a moment before he shifted again the other way. The restlessness was like a claw inside of his chest, trying to force its way out. It wanted him to keep moving, to shout his frustration to the world. Like some great untamable beast that was perverting his very being. Making every nerve feel as if it was on fire. 

He suddenly stood up, unable to keep sitting. His feet began moving of their own accord, causing him to pace around the small living area almost like a trapped animal. He muttered softly to himself, sounds without form or meaning. His glittering black eyes snapping with his inner agitation. He wished he had a larger area in which to move about. The entire basement was not enough room. He just wanted to walk. To wander for hours on end. He wasn’t sure why this wanderlust had suddenly gripped him. Perhaps he had spent too long cooped underneath this basement without a break. Sometimes the desire would come to him out of nowhere. However he wasn’t supposed to leave, especially for a prolonged period of time. He had to try and put a clamp on this desire. 

As he moved by an unoffending bookshelf, his arm lightly bumped against it. However in his agitated state it caused a wave of unreasonable anger to well up inside of him. In this fit of anger, he grabbed onto the bookshelf and suddenly yanked at it. His strength easily allowed him to pull it away from the wall and cause it to topple down onto the floor, scattering its contents everywhere. He then began to stamp and kick at the bookshelf, easily snapping the wood as he took his frustrations out on the inanimate object.

But when he had completely pummeled the bookshelf to death, he stopped his violence before letting out an irritated sigh. There was the bitter taste of disappointment in his mouth. Disappointment that he couldn’t better control himself. His father would not be too happy if he knew that Diomedes had let such agitation get the better of him. He closed his eyes, breathing deep as he drew up a memory from his childhood. His sixth birthday. The worst, and best day of his life. He focused on the good part, and it helped to begin calm him down and allow him to get some measure of control back. 

He then opened his eyes again and looked down at the broken pieces of his bookshelf and the now scattered books. He could simply reverse time to repair the shelf, however that was not an advisable move considering what was currently living above his head. Well, he was paying for his lack of control. He now needed a new bookshelf. Heaving a sigh, Diomedes bent down and began to clear up the broken pieces of wood, stacking them neatly in one corner to deal with later. As for the books, he gathered them up and moved them into the bedroom, putting them in a neat stack in the corner. Once he had finished cleaning up, he returned to his seat and sat back down, determined not to let his emotions get the better of him. He turned his eyes back to the unblinking screen, and the souless eyes that stared back at him.

[Aura]

Location: Blackberry Park

Time: 6:30-7:00 on a Sunday morning.

Sophia was out for a morning jog in the park, as part of her usual routine. When you can't afford to buy coffee every morning, jogging in the park was the next best thing. In all honesty, though, she wouldn't trade her jogs for a cup anyway. She had grown to love the way the park looked in the mornings along with the quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Something about it made her feel at home. Just about anywhere else in the city made her feel like a fish out of water, claustrophobic and insignificant. Crowded streets, neon signs, heavy traffic, even when literally standing in the spotlight, there's always a bigger spotlight on something else two blocks down. It's not like the place was all bad, hell, it's one of the greatest tourist spots in the world! It's just that it never really felt like it was where she belonged. She looked up to the horizon, where the skyscrapers peaked out over the trees. Those buildings were visible no matter where you were in the city, it seemed. It was a constant reminder that she was practically imprisoned here, that she can try to fool herself with places like this park, but, whatever she did, she could never return to her home the way things used to be...

Realizing her mind was trailing off into the very area she distinctly jogs to get her mind away from, she lowered her head to focus on the trail in front of her and picked up her pace, her breasts bouncing as she ran, and her ass shaking with each step. Even when jogging, she made it a point to look her best with light makeup and form-fitting clothing including a tank that puts her cleavage on display. Of course, it was in the middle of the winter, so she had been wearing a jacket that she kept unzipped unless she really needed the extra heat. She often wore revealing clothing, even in the winter, to attract attention to herself, but it wasn't so much for sexual reasons like most would assume, and more so because it seemed to be the only way she knew how to get any form of social interaction. Although, there was admittedly something thrilling about making others all hot and bothered. She also did it for publicity. People are a lot more likely to stop by her shows if they're attracted to her both on and off stage.

After jogging for a while, Sophia sat down at a bench for a break, taking a sip of water from her bottle and setting it aside. She pulled her phone out of her pocket to check and make sure she hadn't missed any calls--her manager would probably fire her on the spot if she ever did--but thankfully, nothing. Again, it was the middle of the winter, so street performances weren't exactly ideal. Her income was often especially low around this time of year, so she usually had to resort to accepting more offers from those shady bars, clubs, and the like. She just leaned back and sighed. It was never anything she wanted to do. She would rarely get any respect as a singer, many drunk men would often just demand she strip. Hell, sometimes the employees would demand it. They would always justify it by commenting on the way she dressed, which she never really had an argument against. It was already about time for her to head back to her apartment and change, but part of her just wanted to stay here and stare at the scenery for just a little while longer...

[Neptune]

Location: Blackberry Falls Park
Time: 07:00 on a Sunday morning.

Unknown to the quiet figure sitting on the bench, she was being quietly watched by a figure that remained half hidden behind a tree. The figure was quite tall, and her hair was a long, luxurious black colour. Her face was breathtakingly beautiful, with almond shaped blues, a small delicate nose and cupid bow shaped lips. Her eyes were blue, and seemed to glitter like ice as they continued watching the young figure. The only thing that marred her beauty was a faint tinge of disdain that twisted her lips as she looked at the cattle around her. She was dressed in a form fitting felt coat that went down to mid-thigh. Wrapped around her neck, was a red scarf that helped keep her throat warm. Her long legs were wrapped in tight fitting jeans, and her feet covered in two inch heel boots that came up to the knee. 

She had spotted this young human while she had been jogging along the path. So young, and delicious. She was perfect. The feminine figure smirked slightly, no more than the curve of her lips. Yes. This young human would help her, in the achievement of her goals. She looked gullible enough. It should be an easy thing to tempt her. But the figure knew she had to be careful to avoid drawing the wrong kind of attention to herself. She also had to be careful not to become so excited that she spoiled the sacrifice before she was ready. Her Masters would be angry with her if she did that, and she certainly didn’t want to disappoint them. She did not particularly like their punishments. 

The figure pulled herself away from the tree and moved towards the bench. She made sure that her footsteps crunched down in the snow covered ground, so that the human would not be startled. Humans were so used to be noisy. But she plastered a sweet looking smile on her face as she sat herself down next to the human. She shivered slightly, partially from how cold it was, and partially because she could sense just how young and warm this human female was. It was causing desire to well up in her, and she had to try and keep herself firmly reined in. She stretched her smile as she introduced herself, “Hey there. Sorry to just barge in on you like this, but I couldn’t help myself for such a pretty little thing like you. I’m Kelania. What’s your name, sweetheart?”

[Aura]

Just as she was getting ready to leave, Sophia heard the crunch of footsteps approaching her from behind. She figured anyone with malicious intent would be a bit more careful with their approach, but she still couldn't help but feel uneasy. When she turned to look in the direction of the sound, she had half expected to see some middle-aged man coming to try and chat her up, but, to her surprise, she was greeted, instead, by what seemed to be a beautiful young woman. Something about the girl's smile immediately captured Sophie's interest as she watched her place herself particularly close. She noted the girl shivering shortly after sitting. She was about to say something when the girl began speaking.

Sophie couldn't help but blush slightly in response to the compliment. She had heard people talk to her like this several times in the past, it always just turned out to be a means to an end that she was never willing to go through with, but something about this girl's voice was gentle and soothing, friendly and inviting. Sophia didn't feel as if she were being invaded one bit. "Thank you, Kelania." Sophie responded, sitting more upright with a friendly smile of her own, her eyes now exploring more of Kelania's facial features. Not a single flaw that she could find. She looked as though she was wearing makeup, but no signs of actually covering anything... it was more to highlight her features than to cover any blemishes. Her skin looked soft and smooth, her cheeks were the perfect shade of rose, and her eyes were like a trap, sparkling wistfully as Sophie stared into them, it's probably for the best that her eyes were trapped there because otherwise, they would certainly be wandering elsewhere. "That's a beautiful name, and you're definitely a lot prettier than I am," Sophie continued. "For me, it's all makeup and clothes..." she trailed off, realizing she had neglected to answer Kelania's question. "Oh, sorry, I'm Sophia," she extended her hand to shake the girl's. "You can call me Sophie if you like..." she then recalled what she was going to ask before. "Are you cold? I can spare this jacket if you like, I'll probably be jogging all the way home, anyway, so I'll warm myself up."

[Neptune]

Location: Blackberry Falls Park
Time: 07:00 on a Sunday morning.

Kelania’s smile widened even further, feeling a surge of triumphant victory as this human seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that Kelania was not like she was. She let out a low, seductive laugh, putting a hand to her chest, “You would do that for me? That’s so sweet of you. It’s just so cold here. I’m used to a much warmer climate. Me and snow just do not get on with each other.” She said, engaging in idle chatter to help keep Sophia relaxed and pliant. Kelania reached forward, grasping Sophia’s hand to return the shake. She almost moaned at how warm and soft Sophia’s hand felt. She just wanted to pull the young human closer and just have her way with her but once again she firmly clamped down on that desire. She had a job to do. It was with much reluctance that she let go of the human’s hand.

Kelania leaned slightly closer, allowing her eyes to roam up and down the soft body before her. Unconsciously, she bit the corner of her lip as her eyes became half lidded for a few moments before she drew in a breath. Damn, if she wasn’t careful she was going to lose control of herself. This little Sophia was a tempting little creature. She had to try and keep her hands to herself. If she could do just that, she would be richly rewarded for her efforts.

“Your name is beautiful, too. A beautiful name for a beautiful young lady. You’re not all makeup and clothes…” Kelania said, her eyes once again roaming over the young woman, “No, most certainly not, sweetheart. Your natural beauty is stunning.” She gave a flirtatious smile, loving the way that Sophia’s cheeks seemed to glow as she blushed, adding more colour to her delicious looking skin. Kelania couldn’t help but to run a finger up Sophia’s arm, revelling in the soft feeling of the flesh, “And this skin tone… I’ve never seen such a beautiful shade. I’m envious.” She then laughed again, and pulled her hand back before it started wondering of its own accord before she asked, seemingly innocently, “Where do you live, sweetheart?”

[Aura]

Sophia giggled softly in response to Kelania's explanation, the on-the-nose reference to her true origins clearly going completely over her head. "Me too, I'm from a pretty hot climate where it rarely ever snowed, but I've been here for a few years now and got used to the weather over time." Of course, she conveniently left out the fact that a big contributor of this was the fact that she had to survive with no heating or air conditioning during her entire life in the city. "I do miss being able to go to the beach almost any time of the year, though." She looked back at the lake which was partially frozen over.

She couldn't help but notice a slight shift of the girls' expression as their hands touched. Kelania's hand felt cold to the touch, but considering the topic of conversation, she assumed that was likely due to the weather more than anything. Aside from the temperature, her hand was soft to the touch and her nails looked delicately polished and manicured, not unlike her own, which were painted black at the moment. The handshake lasted a little while longer than she had expected, but Sophie didn't mind. In fact, whatever was going through this girl's head was likely going through her own. As she continued to stare into the demon's eyes, she couldn't help but feel a longing for her... But, no, she couldn't do anything like that. She would never surrender herself so quickly to someone she had just met... Finally, Kelania released her hand, which wasn't quite enough of a distraction to break their eye contact. 

Soon, Kelania began looking her body up and down without a hint of subtlety, but again, Sophia didn't mind. She was used to it and even enjoyed the attention. It was at this point that Sophia began to strip her jacket off, giving the demon a better view of her bare shoulders and the sides of her breasts through her tank. She found herself grinning slightly, knowing this woman would enjoy the view as she draped her jacket over her new friend's shoulders. 

Sophia blushed again as the girl complimented her natural beauty, and even more so as she began running her finger along her arm, the unexpected contact gave her goosebumps that made her shiver as well. "S-sorry, I guess I'm still a little cold after all." She giggled nervously. She then heard the girl's question and hesitantly answered. "Oh, it's nothing fancy, just some run-down old apartment a few blocks away. What about you? Where do you live?" She quickly wanted to change the subject away from her own housing, it wasn't exactly a situation she was proud to be in, and it certainly wasn't a way to impress a potential significant other.

[Neptune]

Location: Blackberry Falls Park
Time: 07:00 on a Sunday morning.

Kelania enjoyed the sight of her prey shivering in the cold winters morning. She could see goosebumps raising up across her skin. She tilted her head slightly, still having the pleasant smile plastered across her face. This human was definitely much easier to fool than she had anticipated. Her eyes gleamed with interest at hearing that she lived in a run down apartment. Could it be possible that this delicious little thing lived alone? This was better better and better. She pulled the warm jacket closer, breathing deep to catch the human’s sweet scent.

“Oh, I’m not native here. I’m a bit of a tourist. Although, if everyone is as sweet and pretty as you, I might consider applying for citizenship. I’m currently staying in some hotel. It’s a pretty nice place.” Kelania replied, before glancing around and then leaning closer to bring her mouth closer to Sophia’s ear so that she could speak in a low, confidential-seeming manner,

“Although one of the reasons I stay there was became of some rumours I’ve heard. I heard it was a haunted hotel. Filled with ghosts. I’m a big of an ghost-fan… I travel around, finding these haunted places and explore them. Do you believe in ghosts?” Kelania then pulled away with a mischievous look on her face, curious to see what her cute little human would say. She shifted a little closer so that their thighs were touching slightly as she made her smile as seductive as possible. She hoped that her little ruse would allow her to tempt this lovely creature back to this ‘hotel’ so that she could proceed with her work.

[Aura]

Sophia couldn't help but lean in closer as she felt Kelania's hot breath as she whispered into her ear. She was so caught up in her rapidly increasing heart rate, especially after feeling the contact of Kelania's thigh against her own and almost regretting wearing jeans, that it took her a moment to even process what the woman had said. "Ghosts...?" it was an odd question to ask in the moment. She had never had any particular interest in the occult, but ever since moving to this city, she had seen all kinds of races like elves and anthropomorphic animals which she had only ever heard about in fantasy back at her home. Sometimes she could swear that she must have fallen into a coma and this whole city was just some sort of hallucination, so she supposed that, as long as she's believing all of this to be real, why not ghosts? 

"I... suppose I do." She stared at Kelania's cheeky grin with a quizzical look before meeting her eyes again and smirking. "What, is this a dare or something? You want me to go to this haunted hotel of yours? Show me the way, then!" In hindsight, it was a dangerous decision to make so half-heartedly, especially in a place with so many criminals, but Sophia needed something to break up the monotony in her life, and maybe a friendship with an adventurous spirit like Kelania was just the place to start. Besides, after the way she had already started feeling toward her from just these few minutes of conversation, she could already feel a bond forming. Maybe she had finally found someone she could trust? Or... Maybe that was just wishful thinking. In all likelihood, she was probably planning on taking advantage of her for one reason or another, she shouldn't let her guard down around her.