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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 23, 2019 11:02:17 GMT
It was early morning across Bellerouge and most of the city was just beginning to wake up to another day. The BPD department reflected the state of the city and sat quiet with barely anyone present on the grounds. However, despite the silent and almost abandoned air of the place, there was at least one soul there at this early hour of the day.
Down in the forensic labs, music could be heard echoing up the hallway from the twin pink doors that let onto the various rooms where all medical examinations were done. And while the music wasn't as loud or as boisterous as it had once been, it was impossible to mistake who could be playing such music in what most considered such a creepy, morbid setting.
Anna was already busy at work examining the latest body to arrive at the labs. True, she was more subdued then normal but nothing, not a dangerous experiment on herself gone wrong, not the increasing demonic threats spreading through the city she lived in, not even the appearance of Disparion himself, could stop her doing her job and helping to solve murders for the BPD. No, the biggest hit by far to her state of mind had come from Shadow's disappearance but she tried to keep positive when she thought of him. She wouldn't let her spirit be pulled low. And to that end, she did as she had always done when working for the police department and came in early to get a head start on the newest additions to the morgue.
As her computer started to play "I'm Walking on Sunshine," she continued her examination of the body on her slab. The corpse was already split open so that the chest cavity was exposed and all the organs it contained.
Without any hesitation, she reached her gloved hands into the open chest and lifted out the heart, turning it slowly in her hands and making note of all irregularities and injuries while softly tapping her foot in time with the music. She even hummed a little as she examined a puncture to the aorta of the heart and the presence of so much congealed blood within the chest cavity.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2019 2:15:02 GMT
Dorian had been avoiding Anna. It was less fear and more to overcome the urge to force her into a life debt. She would go to the courts with him, of course, when the time came. He was certain bringing a girl like Anna would lift his current banishment, which made the temptation so much stronger. He took times when she was not working. He did not want to the enforce unseelie enslaved everyone they met stereotype.
When the urge had passed, he felt the need to talk to her. He considered her a friend and ally, he didn't want to lose her. So, on a day when next to no one was there, his station's door opened as Anna was working. "Anna, could you come here for a second?" He rubbed his palms on his trousers and waited. He had a banner, a cupcake, and a rubber duckie shaped cake. The banner said "congrats, you're still mortal" and the cake said "enjoy the monotony" granted, people had suggested different things to put, but he was unseelie, and well, Dorian. His humor was just who he was, and he hoped she understood.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 25, 2019 2:55:46 GMT
Anna was still listening to her music and intently examining the organ in her hands when a voice suddenly spoke from behind her. The young woman gave a small start at the familiar voice, accidentally dropping the heart onto the steel table with a rather wet splat as she looked over her shoulder. And there stood Dorian.
For a length of time she didn't move or say or do anything. Indeed, it almost looked as if she had stopped breathing as much as the body on the slab before her had. However, after several moments of an almost painful length of time she seemed to rouse.
"Oh....hi Dorian. I didn't know you were going to be in this early..."
Anna then fell into an uncharacteristic silence before turning back to the corpse and replacing the heart in the chest cavity from where it had fallen from her hands. Once it had been returned to its proper place, she turned to fully face the Fey but didn't make a move. Instead, she stayed close to the body, her face paler than usual. Without realizing it, her hand made to pull at the length of pure white hair that ran through the otherwise strawberry blonde locks. However, she stopped herself just short of doing so.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2019 3:14:53 GMT
She looked like something had petrified her. Not scared, exactly, but he half expected that if he touched her he would feel cool marble. He sighed. "Anna, I am just as responsible for what happened as you. I didn't stop you. I even gave you my blood! I wanted to see what would happen. However, that hasn't mattered less in this instance. Wash your hands please, I don't think you want gore stained hands for what I have in store" for once, he felt excited. Or almost. Was this queasy electric feeling excitement or hunger pains? Same difference. He held his hand out to her with a half smile and beckoned. "You should probably close your eyes and let me lead you"
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 25, 2019 4:12:35 GMT
For a moment, Anna's blue gaze dropped to the floor and she bit her lip lightly. In that moment it was impossible to tell just how she was going to react to Dorian's words. Would she break down and cry on his shoulder as she had done with Axel? Would she merely continue to try and avoid even talking to him as she had first done with Sunshine? Would she become angry herself and allow him to shoulder the blame for this?
At first all she did was walk over to the sink and, after removing the bloody gloves and apron, spent several quiet moments washing her hands. When she was finished at long last, she turned the water off and turned to face Dorian. She took in a single deep breath before looking him right in the eyes an speaking.
"Dorian, I'm done playing the blame game. In the end, we both know it was my choice. It's taken me a long time to come to grips with what I did to you and to Sunshine, to Shadow and Axel..... to myself. So please, don't try and take this onto yourself. I'd be lying if I said this hasn't changed me but... maybe it was long overdue. Change isn't easy but.... it's the very thing that makes life worth living."
Anna's speech and expression had been very solemn the whole time she was speaking, but suddenly she closed her eyes and a truly lovely smile spread across her lips. It was almost like watching the sun finally break though the clouds on a very grey morning.
"And I'm gonna live it well. So... what is it you wanted to show me?"
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2019 4:29:33 GMT
"Ah, I said partly my fault. Guilt so large should never be shouldered alone. Not...not after I fixed it...and gave it to the djinn" he grimaced. "It was the deal to save your life. I am sorry" he took her hand and led her into the area, and smiled. "Open your eyes now" he said and as she did threw confetti, black and purple pieces falling around them. "Surprise! The duck cake is a vampire see? And the cupcake is raspberry blackberry swirl. I hope you like it?" He watched her almost anxiously to gauge her reaction. Did he do okay? Was she going to yell at him for finishing the serum? Or yell at him for the choice of words and cake? He was hoping not.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 25, 2019 4:46:32 GMT
For a moment Anna merely looked nonplussed by Dorian's words. She merely blinked her large blue eyes several times and didn't say anything. However, when his words finally registered a small thrill of apprehension went down her spine, but this wasn't the time to let such feelings show. Instead she merely continued to smile lightly and closed her eyes as Dorian led her out of the medical exam room and down the hallway to another room.
When Dorian asked for her to open her eyes, she did and immediately saw the cake. Even with the sudden worry that was now starting to settle in her chest, she gave a light laugh as she ran her finger lightly over a corner of the frosted duck-shaped cake before tasting it.
"Mmmm. A vampire duck cake? And its not even my birthday. Thank you, Dorian. You really didn't have to do this, especially for me. After all, I'm the one who has the cornerstone on giving out baked goods to people."
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2019 4:54:38 GMT
"You did this for me when I came. I wanted to...to try to be nice for once. Being me, it is especially easy to be self-absorbed, and I did not wish to be stuck in my own head, not when it appeared you needed a pick-me-up. You...well, I suppose you are a friend. And according to my daughter, this is what you do for friends" he moved to cut her a slice of cake, and hesitantly offered her the cupcake, similar to how she had when they first met. Cake, confetti, a banner, and a cupcake. Had he missed anything? He really hoped not.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 27, 2019 2:33:57 GMT
Anna continue to smile at Dorian but when he spoke of being unfamiliar with what actions came with friendship, she nodded her head slightly and the grin on her face fell the smallest degree.
"Yes, I know a bit of what that's like now. What with part of the serum containing Fey DNA and all..."
She didn't say anything for the moment and took the cupcake in silence before licking at its frosted surface. Once the coating was gone and the cake underneath revealed, she ran her tongue over her lips and spoke.
"Dorian, can I talk to you about something?"
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2019 4:04:33 GMT
"Unseelie" he was quick to say. "Not the same as seelie and not the same as solitary, who chose neither court and move freely between the two. You might not have been as feral if you had taken more seelie. Solitary would have given you magpie syndrome. Or not, but leprechauns can be greedy blighters" he sighed when she asked if she could ask him something. He had a feeling he knew what she would ask. About the completed serum. "I used amphibian dna to stabilize it, plus blood from a demon that was brought in. And...blood from my daughter. She thought it great fun. I didn't think if a hybrid's blood had been used, but her dna is not quite troll or fey. It's new. Howver, I did not sell my soul to the devil. But, I made a deal with a djinn, who can change destiny and some aspects of reality to suit them. I do not know what happened to the serum. One day, it was in my kitchen in child proof containers, and the next morning it was gone. No note, nothing" he hesitated. "His name is Constantine. Somebody has probably gotten on the wrong end of a wish, if you feel to find him"
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 28, 2019 3:29:04 GMT
"Yeah, yeah..."
Anna agreed with Dorian's explanation of the Fey subsets in an absentminded way, trying to think of how best to word her question. However, before she could say anything Dorian began speaking again of how he had finished her serum, how it had been stolen, and how the most likely thief was someone named Constantine. She merely stared at him with a blank expression, her mouth still open with the question she had started to ask. Clearly he had thought he knew what she was going to ask about. Unfortunately, he had guessed wrong.
"Um.... that wasn't my question, Dorian."
And that was the truth, although everything the Unseelie had told her wasn't about to escape her mind in a hurry. She had been trying to NOT think about the repercussions of the serum she had made. At least, not until she had finished coming to terms with the permenant change said serum had brought about in her, both physically and personality wise. Now, however...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2019 5:32:20 GMT
"..Oh. wait, really? Exactly where are your priorities? I tell you someone took a modified version of your serum, and you look like I told you I ate your best friend. Then, you want to ask a question. What am I supposed to think? And I would rather tell you what happened before I give myself an excuse to lie about it" he lapsed into a silence, rather tense and anxious. But when she did not immediately ask her real question he groaned and put his fingers to his temple, massaging. "What is your question?"
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 28, 2019 5:47:48 GMT
Anna didn't react to Dorian's response and merely kept her face blank. She had gotten good at that lately and it was the cause for the very question she had wanted to ask him. She had tried to ask several other people but although they had answered she felt they were biased and wouldn't be straight with her. Also, they didn't understand the way Dorian would. Now, however, she was starting to become uncertain again.
Still, this would probably be her best chance to get a completely truthful answer. So she merely took in a breath and spoke in a quiet voice.
"I wanted to ask you if you think I'm still human. Other then me, you knew the serum best and understood the science behind it. On top of that, I thought if anyone would be completely honest about it with me, it would be you..."
She didn't say anymore put but the cupcake aside. She wasn't hungry for sweets anymore. In fact, she wasn't hungry.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2019 6:00:43 GMT
Dorian blinked twice before settling back in his chair as he considered. "I saw the flawd version and the fixed, but I only experimented-on non intelligent rats I might add-with the modified. I only saw the flawed version in you" his fingers touched his damaged cheek. He hoped she realized why he was not keen on seeing it again. "You put what was basically superhuman blood into your own bloodstream. It poisoned you, made you feral. But powers were not evident for days. So, I have no idea really. Plus, Constantine worked magic as per my wish to heal you. But djinn always seem to work like a monkey paw. He may have fixed you totally, but something tells me he did not" Dorian leaned forward and took her hand. "But I promise on everything alive, that if you do go feral again, I will not rest till I come up with a permanent cure"
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 29, 2019 5:27:47 GMT
Anna glanced down at her hands as Dorian spoke, trying to digest what he was telling her. It was the last thing she had wanted to hear but she was nonetheless grateful to Dorian for being completely upfront with her. There really would be no way to tell just what the long-term results of the serum on her body would be. She already knew she would never be quite the same again, quite human....
While that had been difficult to deal with at first, Axel had helped her realize that wasn't such a bad thing. It wasn't like the city was made up of humans alone. It was full of a large, myraid mixture of people who came from all bloodlines and walks of life. No, the thing now that bothered her was the simple act of waiting, waiting to see if she would still be Anna or once more change into a rabid creature that was neither human nor Other.
And as she continued to look down at her hands, she realized that magic was a part of her now as well. There was no way to tell what this Constantine had done to her. At least, not unless she was willing to find him, to speak to him. While that was definitely food for thought, she wasn't going to focus on it right now.
Even looking down, she saw out of the corner of her eye how Dorian traced one side of his face. She knew that side, it was the place where he had been badly burned by the chemicals she had thrown at him when she had been little more than a blood-crazed monster.
"Dorian, why did you even bother trying to help me? Why are you trying to help me now? We weren't really friends to begin with.... at least I know you didn't think of me as a friend. Yet you helped me with my serum at big risks to yourself. Then when I... when I went berserk, when I hurt you, you still tried to help me. You made a deal with this Constantine guy. And even now you're offering to keep an eye on me should something happen again. I just... I just don't understand why."
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