<h4>Out of Character</h4>Who: http://shadowlack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=373Stormwing</a> and http://shadowlack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=779Shriker</a>. What: Okkie’s moving into her new dormitory, after having been stuck in her old one for far too long. Kakos is gonna bring her house-warming gifts, like rifle-shaped rice crispy treats and a dead body Jello mold (green with red to be the “blood"). Theeen, the two will go on something of an adventurous grocery shopping trip to fill up the new fridge. Yay! P.S. I recommend downloading the fonts Diediedie and Aleia (try http://dafont.com/dafont.com</a>) before viewing. Where: Room #1212 in the Janardan dormitories, then to a shopping center near the Academy. When: Early afternoon, Tria, Day 23, Year 81378 (4). Rated: PG-13, because Okkie is never anything less than that. ’Specially when she’s with Kakos. <h4>In Character</h4>The young pendragon hoisted the cardboard box in her toned arms, then straightened her back so its weight was crushed against her chest. Its perimeter was quite large, and her arms barely wrapped around it, but she established a firm grip on it, nevertheless, and started to move forwards. She found it was easiest to see if she simply propped her chin on it, and that is just what she did as she sauntered towards the threshold of the room. She still maintained this pose as she reached the door, and she briefly wondered how she was going to close the door. She slipped through it, then peered back at the now-empty chamber, with nothing left in it except a few dust bunnies and a whole lot of rotten memories. Okkie found herself staring, just for a moment, allowing only a few brief seconds to make a fleeting voyage down memory lane. Then she forced herself back to the present, and with one milk-sock foot, kicked the door from its jamb, and watched it slide on its tracks to meet the other side of the wall. That chapter of her life ended with a soft click as the mechanical lock engaged, and then the caramel teenager was standing alone, in the quiet hall, a rather enormous box in her arms. Chuckling lightly to herself, for who knew what reason, she began to shuffle up the carpeted way. At the end of the long corridor, there was a spiraling staircase, and then a shaft of elevators. On any other day, with any less awkward a cargo, Okkie would have darted up those black steps with nary a thought given to the elevators. But today was different, in a lot of ways, and, besides, she did have a rather large load to carry. Thus, she passed the stairs with something like a wistful glitter in her eyes, and stepped up towards the two elevators, using an elbow to jab the Up button between the doors. She could hear the machina whirring to life, the sound of cables and pistons tightening as the box lowered itself to her level. Her snow-capped ears pricked when a release of pressure hissed nearby, and then the doors opened smoothly, revealing a well-lit space beyond, with carpet to match the halls of the dormitories. Juggling her grip a bit lower on her cardboard carry-on, Okkie stepped into the vacated space, then used her elbow again to hit the proper floor button. She began to space out even before the two doors had latched in front of her again. I wonder who has the complete and utter misfortune of living on my new floor, the youth thought to herself, tail subconsciously flicking as a wild light danced in her eyes. I mean, besides my obviously immature and obnoxious persona, and my rather chip-on-the-shoulder reputation, there is a lot of other stuff they should be wary about. Like what’s in this box. And a rather delicate, though sinister, grin found itself winding its way onto her ringed muzzle. But the dark moment was interrupted by a soft hum, and the abrupt pause of the elevator cart. The doors slid open, revealing a wide corridor that stretched as far as the eye could see, and then some. Okkie stepped out, her white palms spread on either side of her box as she held it firmly against her. Nobody was out and about at this time of day — they were probably all attending class. Okkie herself had a free period right now, thus the moving, and she was not all too surprised to see how abandoned this wing of the dormitory was. For starters, it housed far less pendragons than the floors below. It was one of the higher levels, closest to the ground, and therefore reserved only for those with either academic achievements, money, or certain connections. Secondly, as she had already stated to herself, the majority of the inhabitants were probably scattered in classrooms all over the Academy. “Suits me just fine," Okkie said aloud, to no one. “Dunno if I’d want anybody to be nosing around right now, what with my preciousssesss in this box." An echoing snicker reverberated along the fresh, well-lit corridor, then the femme silenced herself and began to walk. Her eyes flicked from room number to room number, from door to door. She noted the notepads stuck to some of the doors, with personal messages scrawled on them. “Don’t forget our date at five, see you later, sweet cakes," one said, and Okkie could not suppress an amused smile. Even the supremely intelligent, the filthy rich, and the deviously deviant can be such suckers, she thought to herself, continuing to wind her way along the carpeted hall. More doors, more numbers. But she was looking for a certain one, of course. One that had inspired her to shell out quite a bit of money, and a little bit of something else. Room #1212 had opened for the first time recently, with all the latest luxuries the school could offer. Now, Okkie had been a miser, almost severely so, before she had heard that news. But, just a few moments after she had heard, she had flopped herself in the dormitory appointment office, pockets fattened with cash, knowing full well that she would leave with the key to Room #1212. And she had — and here it was! She could smell the fresh paint already. Okkie very gingerly slid the box to the floor, staring at the perfectly white panels of the door. Just like her old door, it had a handle with an electric card reader, but it was so much shinier than her old one had been. Trying not to grin stupidly, she fished in the pocket of her black cargo pants, a white hand enclosing upon the small sheet of plastic. It read: Official Janardan Academy Dormitory Key, followed by Express Property of Janardan Academy printed just below it, in small letters. Then, a space or two beneath, in big bold letters, Room #1212. Okkie slipped it into the slot, heard a resounding beep come from somewhere, then turned the handle. She wanted to throw the door wide open, and bask in the glory of a new dorm — finally! — but, instead, she held it open with one foot, leaned down, collected her box into her arms again, and leaned her way in, her sculpted back in its maroon tee the first thing to fall into the room. Then she twisted around. It was love at first sight, without a single shred of doubt. Okkie opened her mouth to say something to herself, but then clenched it shut. Her hybrid eyes flicked around the room, tasting everything, adoring it. They fell upon the freshly-painted white walls, the bright wooden paneling along the plush blue carpet, the brass trim that separated the carpet from the tiling of her very own kitchenette — her very own kitchenette! She was utterly speechless as she turned around and around in the homey space, and she was filled with a sense of absolute tenderness. This room was perfect. Even the bathroom door, to the immediate right when one entered the dormitory, was beautiful, covered in a coat of glimmering ivory. It was stunning to her, the entire room was incredible, even though it had the same basic lay-out as her old one, plus a few new luxuries… The basic floor plan of the room was in an T-shape, with two extra wings off the right side of the T to house the bathroom, and then, further along, the small kitchenette. The main area of the room was carpeted in a lush blue layer, which matched the hallway outside, but which was much more expensive, by the look and feel of it beneath milky feet. The two top crosses of the T-shape were two niches for beds, and in each was a twin cot, the mattress thick, the comforter thrown over each white and fluffy. In the main body of the T, there was a desk on the left, an enormous one, to be sure, polished white with two laptops open on it. It also came with two office chairs, with swivel seats and wheels, and Okkie sat in one of these as she continued to scrutinize her new chamber. Across from the desk, there was a rather large entertainment center, with a television set, a stereo, two large speakers, and a lava lamp. It resembled her old one quite a bit, though this was less battered, and Okkie took a short moment to think about what had happened to the furniture from #8402. Surely it had been recycled somewhere… perhaps right here? “Nah," Okkie said to herself, as she peered now at the tiny, cozy kitchen to the right of the entertainment center, between it and the bathroom door. It was, by far, the best part of the room. In it, there was a refrigerator, plently of shiny formica countertop, a sink, a small stove, a miniature dishwasher, and even a little toaster. This would enable the youthful spy and rogue apprentice to cook her own meals, and she would no longer rely on the Cafeteria and local fast food restaurants to be her ticket to a quick meal. She could even have toast in the morning. “My god, I never knew it was going to be this great. I didn’t even have to worry that I’d never looked at it before I moved in. It’s goddamned gorgeous! Heh. Home, sweet, home. I just wonder if Miss Shriker will enjoy it as much as I do." As she spoke of her closest companion, Okkie shot a smoldering glance at the box which she had set near the door. In it were their most prized possessions, or hers at least. She was new to this room, but she would find a perfect little hidden niche for her babies. As soon as possible, she thought, as she slunk across the room and kneeled by the cardboard cube. I will find you a dark, warm place to grow as soon as I can. Might be a bit tough in this bright room, but, rest assured, I will never give you less than the best… And she peeled open the box, only a glimpse of green leaves visible as she stroked the contents with a rather maternal growl resonating in her throat.
Kakosenas’ talons clattered on the metal railing as she stumbled. Her hand had shot out, seeking for purchase, something to stop her backwards decline, and had found it, thankfully. Saving herself from a potentially hurtful tumble. She peered down whence the way she came, gripping the railing tightly. Okkie had told her that the school would be practically deserted at this time of day. But that was the problem. It was day. Of all the times to go gallivanting about the school! Night, or early morning. These were times that Kakosenas was comfortable and familiar with. When the shadows were deep and the onlookers eyes easily fooled. Despite Okkie’s reassurances though, Kakosenas had opted to not use the elevator. The stairs and other passageways had always suited the both of them just fine. And the thought of the elevator… an enclosed hateful little box. What if someone else happened to venture in? What if they asked questions? Kakos wasn’t quite sure what she would do then. She could try to be discreet, but what if she lost it? Without Okkie there, most likely there would be a new batch of entrails littering the elevator floor. And then what? Murder was very high profile... And she didn’t want to get caught. Not yet anyway. They were already on her trail most likely. Kakosenas slithered down into a sitting position, her left hand still tightly gripping the railing. She glanced down at the bagged package that she held firmly in her right. Good. She hadn’t forgotten it. Remembering something - she pulled a small sphere shaped black pebble from out of her many folds of clothes. Dirty wrappings that they were. They weren’t even really fit to be called clothes. They seemed more like a haphazard collection of cloth just tied to her body with bits of string. Her pants were good though. At least they resembled pants. There were just a few holes and tears and things to be mended on them. She carefully held the stone between her thumb and middle finger, bringing it up close to her eyes in order to inspect its seemingly flawless surface. She sat there, rolling it idly between her two digits. Time passed. Too much time actually. The next thing that she knew, the small stone was gone. A sharp clattering sound alerted her ears. Panic set into her brain. She’d dropped it! It was bouncing down the stairs. Kakosenas jumped, slid, and scrambled down the flight of stairs after the little stone, her eyes picking out the elusive bouncing object immediately. Thankfully, she caught up to it at the next turnaround platform. The sphere was in mid-bounce as Kakos fell upon it, both hands seizing the small stone as if it were a small insect or rodent. She hastily shoved it back into one of her many folds with an irritated hiss. She blinked, suddenly all too aware of the position she was in. Her knees were really starting to ache now too. She must have smashed them when she’d dived after the little rock. Her mind wandered. She was sprawled on the floor, looking much like she‘d actually tripped, fallen, and been knocked unconscious. The cool platform against her right cheek was so nice though. So inviting. She closed her eyes momentarily. Suddenly the sound of hasty footprints coming from below became all too loud as they echoed inside of her head. Someone was coming up the stairs! Someone was after her! Kakosenas’ lemon eyes flicked open and widened, but she didn’t utter a sound as she scrambled quickly to her feet. She began bolting up the stairs But what about…? Her bag! That thing for Okkie. Kakosenas rounded and ran back down to the platform. The footsteps from below seemed to be becoming louder. Kakos spotted the bag - it lay smashed up against the wall. It must have been flung out of her hand when she’d taken off after the stone. She snatched it up and ran the rest of the way up the stairs, not bothering with the railing now. She watched the doors, keeping a lookout for Okkie’s floor number. No… No… No… No.. Oh! Kakosenas snatched the door handle, the momentum of her body slamming her hard against the wall. She took a few moments to catch her breath - the footsteps from below growing ever louder. Then, ever so slowly, she opened the door. She looked one way. Clear. She bent around the door to look the other way. Also clear. Kakosenas slipped out into the hall, closing the door quietly behind her. Okkie’s new room was on this floor. Kakos began wandering down the hall, eyes darting to each and every door number. Some doors were littered with notes. Some proclaiming parties to be held this weekend… and some… Kakosenas scratched her talons over one of the boards - tearing it down the middle successfully. It was a small win for the anarchist in her. It wasn’t long before she found herself standing just outside Okkie’s door. 1212. 1212. This was it. Kakosenas pulled the jellied mess out from out of the bag she’d been carrying. Funny. She didn’t remember it looking so… squished before. It had looked sort of nice before. Being purple, green, blue, and a few other colours. Now it resembled bog mud… or some poor diseased and dying creature’s excrement. The packaging was still intact though. It was a clear, see-through plastic… she hadn’t had any pretty ribbon to tie it with unfortunately (or at least no scraps that she had been willing to part with). But she had found a piece of wire and had been able to fashion it into some sort of makeshift bow. It would all have to do. She slung her bag over her right shoulder and looked hard at the door. She should probably knock, shouldn’t she? With two quick glances down both lengths of the hallway, Kakosenas knocked briskly on Okkie’s door. She carefully hid her jellied mess behind her back, rocking from the balls of her feet to her heels in anticipation.
Without delay, Okkie began to search for a small, hidden place to store the contents of her box. She left it sitting there, just to the side of the door, as she began to scout around the room, hunting low along the carpeted floor. There was space under the rather oversized desk, but it was almost too much space. Far too open for her tastes. She peered across the small room, and studied the entertainment center. Its polished surfaces winked and glowed at her, but it offered no niches, no little drawers or hatches in which to stow away something secret. Next, Okkie prowled over towards the beds. They were identical, with a shelf playing the part of the headboard on each. Underneath each, there was a pair of plastic storage bins. The she-pendragon stroked her chin as she pulled one of these bins out, and she smiled a bit as she unsnapped the lid. She knew that laying about one inch of soil in this would suffice, though it was definitely not ideal. “It might have to do, for now," she spoke aloud to herself, as she put the lid back on the container and shoved it back beneath the bed. Then, on hands and knees, she crawled towards the miniaturized kitchen. The refrigerator was only half the size of a normal one, and useless for this particular quest. Her precious jewels would shrivel and wilt in its polar chill. There were cupboards next to the fridge, though, beneath the smooth, ice-like counters. She opened a few, found a trash can already lined with a plastic bag. There was nothing in it. In the next cupboard, there was dish soap, a sponge, and a few plastic bowls. Her only dishes for now. But none of them were large enough to make good planting pots. “I guess the storage bins will have to do for now. I’ll find a real planting tray when I go out shopping. Which I should probably do, and soon. Real soon." Okkie stood up once again, brushing her pants with white hands. Though she knew no reason for doing this — there was not a trace of dust in the room. No matter. She padded back to the box, and hoisted it into her arms. Murmuring under her breath, the femme carried it over towards the bed on the left side of the T-shape. Though she was normally inclined to choose the right side of almost everything — the couch, the bus, the bed — she felt like being different today. After all, this was a new beginning, was it not? Though not so ideal, when it came to her babies, which she now lifted from the box, her clutch extremely delicate around the dull green plants. The scent of them wafted up her nostrils, and Okkie almost forgot what she was doing, almost leaned back on the floor to crash and wake in a few hours. But, alas, she had things to do. Very important things, to be sure. Thus, it was with careful and deliberate movements that she set the large plants, of which there were three, into one of the storage bins. She then used her milk-white hands to reach into the box and scoop out the enriched soil that she had packed in it. There was a good inch and a half, and she patted it down gingerly around the bases and roots of her beloved plants. She spent quite a while doing this, arranging the leaves just so, making sure the soil was firm. She even went as far as to run over the sink, run some water into her cupped palms, and then return to the bin to sprinkle it lightly over her most prized possessions. Her actions were a bit obsessive, but Okkie could not have been prouder. Her crop was quite reputed, and the most excellent breed for miles around. Its smell alone, as had almost been proven, could knock one off his or her feet, it was so rich. As Okkie softly replaced the lid on the bin and pushed it back under the darkness of the bed, she was almost sad to remember that she had almost grown immune to the odor. But, then again, it was also a blessing. She handled her treasures so often, cared for them so intensely, that she would have been fried by now if she had not begun to grow desensitized to their wicked effects. With a rather tired sigh, Okkie stood once again, this time suppressing the urge to dust off her pants. She wandered over to the sink, to wash the clinging dirt off her hands, then dried them on her baggy black cargo pants. The young female then took a moment to adjust her trucker hat, a maroon cap with a white panel on the front with a rather rude slogan, and turned her back to the sink. She leaned backwards quite contentedly, and crossed her arms. For the longest moment, she just stood there, and stared across the cozy kitchenette, her eyes boring into the refrigerator door. Then, a very loud grumbling interrupted the silent stillness, and Okkie had to smile as she patted her belly. “Ah, yes, it’s about time to refuel, isn’t it? ’Fraid I don’t have any food, though. Hm. I should go out and pick some up, and maybe find some planters, too. And a watering can, can’t forget that." Stormwing mumbled to herself as she began to pat her pockets, searching for something which she eventually found — a small 5x8" notepad. There was a pen clipped to it, and she unsnapped it from its holding place and began to chew thoughtfully on the end. Her first shopping list, and what should she add? She began to jot down notes as fast as they came to her, and her list began to take shape. It looked such as this: <font face="diediedie" size="5">watering can planter trays grapes bread fruit cups water bottles strawber</font> Just as she was about to scratch “strawberry jam" onto the list in her rather haphazard handwriting, Okkie jerked her head up and stared coldly at the white-painted door. A tingling sensation crept up her spine, reminescent of ice cold jelly dripping along her back, only in the wrong direction. Nevertheless, she shivered, and abandoned her list to stalk to the door. Just a few feet away from it, she paused, sinking lightly into the luxurious blue carpet. She could not hear, but could, instead, feel an approaching presence nearing the threshold of her new dormitory. Her nares jolted as her hackles prickled, and Okkie paced forward a few inches. Her snowy white hand reached out to touch the mercurial doorknob — just as a brisk knocking sound pealed through the room, jarring the banded female’s senses. Quite warily, she grabbed the door handle, and slid the thick wooden panel across its tracks, throwing it open speedily. She was standing solidly on her side, quite prepared to face the entity on the other side whose mere presence caused her be so on edge. Whose silent breath rattled her as if it was a wraith, a phantasm standing on the other side. In fact, it was only Kakosenas. “Oh, wow. Holy shit. I should’ve known. Come on in, you. Stop sending those freaky vibes, ’kay? I was caught off guard there," Okkie said in a raspy voice, ushering her friend into the room, quite unawares of the mushed candy hidden behind Kakos’ shred-clad back.
Kakosenas took a rocky step backwards as Okkie flung open the door in haste. She half expected her friend to be wielding an axe and a maniacal grin. But no. Maybe some other time. Okkie just appeared to be on edge as her words seemed to explain. Kakos took two more quick glances along the hallways before she allowed herself to be ushered in. Had she been followed? Had her “stair stalker" known which door she had exited? Quite possibly. It took her a few seconds to actually notice that she was standing inside of Okkie’s new dormitory. Okkie had shut the door behind them and now Kakosenas was faced with… actually, she didn’t know what to think of it. It was bright. Very bright. And clean. Sort of like a hospital. A small involuntary shudder flitted up her back. Had she been a being that was afraid of bright lights, she would have been on her knees right now, trying to gouge our her own eyes in order to rid herself of the stark wicker white. “I like the floor…" she noted quietly as she noticed the carpet underneath her feet. It was soft, and squishy. Much like the item that she was holding behind her back. She flexed her toes in it. At least her feet were relatively clean. The contrast between Okkie’s new dormitory and Kakosenas’ own living quarters was just phenomenal. Kakosenas took a few tentative steps into the room. Everything was so clean… Kakosenas quickly turned around to face Okkie. “I ah, made you something. Sort of a… dorm. Warming. Thing." Kakos pulled the package out from behind her back. “Here," she murmured quietly as she plopped the disgusting looking thing into Okkie’s hands. Kakosenas smiled brightly, but it was a forced smile and quickly withered. She should have been more careful carrying that thing. “Maybe it’ll harden… and you could use it as a doorstop?" she said hopefully.
Using a deft white mitten, Okkie applied pressure to the door, causing it to slide closed once again, sealing itself with a quiet snap. The femme then wheeled around, peering at her friend. Kakosenas looked normal — for her, that was. She looked very misplaced in the sterile room, what with her ratty choice of a shirt, and her pants with their oodles of holes. Not that it mattered to Okkie. She slunk around Kakos and back towards the kitchenette, making a note to herself to add barstools to the list as she rounded the counter and entered the kitchenette once again. Her mismatched orbs still watched the Evil One, gauging her reaction. Did she like it? Did she hate it? Did she wonder where the weed store was? The Kanji-marked teenager wondered to herself. That was, until Kakos piped up, and then shoved a platter into Okkie’s hands. The latter set the thing, whatever it was, on the counter between them, and peeled the makeshift bow and the clingy wrapper off it. A rather scrambled Jello mold was revealed, and a smile crept over banded muzzle. This was rather unlike her charcoal companion, though the fact that it was in such a state made it more typical. Stormwing matched eyes with her friend, and offered a grateful grin. “Thanks. It’s the only edible — it is edible right? Oh, I’m only kidding — thing I have in here. I need to go shopping, rather desperately. In fact, I was just making a list." She grabbed the paper pad off the counter, and held it up. Okkie then peered at it with her brow knitted together. Her entire train of thought had been wrecked with Kakosenas’ arrival, and she would have to start from the beginning again. Think of what all the basic nourishment necessities were for a Janardan student. She nearly forgot that her friend was in the room, as she quickly added a few more items that had popped into her head. Then, she licked her lips and looked up, a contemplative look on her façade as she queried, “Do you know of anything I should buy at the grocery store? I’m gonna go out as soon as I compile my list. You can come, too. But, first, we really need to have some sort of list. I’ve never really gone grocery shopping before. Ah, but here’s what I have so far." And she slid it across the countertop to Kakosenas. <font face="diediedie" size="5">watering can planter trays grapes bread fruit cups water bottles strawberry jam barstools milk dishes? tv dinners</font> As her friend scrutinized the list, Okkie studied the black female’s choice of dress again. Her pants were okay, a bit frayed and dull, and probably in need of a washing. Her shirt, on the other hand, was a bit too torn up. In fact, it looked like Kakos has probably rooted through a dumpster to get at that thing. Okkie wrinkled her nose, then exited the small kitchenette. She stood before the entertainment center, and opened a few drawers that were placed beneath the large television set. In these niches, she had stored her few articles of clothing. Or, rather, some Janardan volunteers had. They’d been hired to clean out her old dormitory, taking the furniture and anything else she didn’t need to who-knew-where. Her clothes had been delivered right to her room, and she’d been informed of their location. Now, she pawed through her pieces of clothing, deciding that this was not such a bad place for them to be. It was neither conspicious, nor in the way, and very accessible. I’ll just keep them here. No need to buy a separate dress or anything, she quietly said to herself, as she lifted a black hoodie out. She held it in her white hands and studied it. Free of holes and tatters. It would be perfect. “Here, put this on," Twelve said to her friend, simply chucking the hoodie at Kakos. “You need to wear something a little more decent than your own attire to the grocery store. Or you’ll be accused of disgracing the fruit section or something."
Kakosenas’ smile returned for a moment as Okkie commented on the “jello" that she had prepared. Was it edible? She tittered. She wasn’t exactly sure if it was or not. It should be. Kakos was always extremely cautious when making potions, and “cooking" was no different than that. She always followed her instructions to the finest of details. Now, the storage and transportation of the already concocted potions though… that was another story. “It should be safe," she said with a grin. When Okkie slid the list over the counter, Kakosenas stopped it with a hand easily. She picked out the pen that was attached to it and twirled it about in her fingers. Trying to discern Okkie’s writing. It was messy, but it was legible. But, what was up with the backwards E‘s? “I don’t usually do my shopping in stores," Kakos pointed out. In fact, she really couldn’t remember a time when she had actually stepped inside a grocery store. Most of her shopping she did on her own, digging up, growing, and finding her own food, and if she absolutely had to, she’d visit an outdoor market. She hit the markets usually once a quarter, sometimes twice. But an actual food store? That would be something new. Thinking now, she bent over Okkie’s list and scrawled a few more items onto the end of it. <font face=Aleia size=5>Marshmallows Alcohol, or some other sort of intoxicating beverage Munchies The blood of a virgin Anything with caffeine Someone's firstborn child Pixie sticks</font> She was a creature of relatively little needs. Kakosenas was just looking it over again as Okkie tossed her something big and black. She reflexively caught it with a yelp of surprise before she realized exactly what it was. “I… hm. I suppose you’re right." Though what was wrong with what she was currently wearing? It’s not like it was too revealing or anything. She set down the pen and held out the black hoodie in front of her by its shoulders. Okkie always seemed to know best in these sorts of scenarios. It couldn’t hurt. With a muddled look on her face, Kakosenas began to put the sweater on. One arm through. Great, making progress. Second arm. Er… hit a snag. Kakos winced. She carefully curled her talons into her palm and slid her second arm all the way through. Success! Kakos pulled the rest of it over her head with a grin. It felt sort of, well, big and loose. Specially to a pendragon who was quite used to actually binding her clothing tightly against her body. She’d seen Okkie wear similar sweaters though. So she assumed that it was just the style. She twirled about in a circle, modeling the new look for her companion. “Better? And, you know. We could always just add to the list once we get there." She said, throwing a glance at the grocery list that was sitting back on the counter.
As the soft-footed Okkie padded back towards Kakosenas, she had to laugh as the other awkwardly pulled the hooded chemise over herself. The older female had a bit of trouble getting her claws through free of mishap, but in the end, the hoodie was wrapped snugly around her gaunt frame. Okkie tilted her head as she leaned on the countertop, studying the new look. Or, well, it wasn’t too different. The hoodie was just a faded shade of black, with a simple Janardan logo on the front. It fit her thin frame, though it was a tad bigger that it should have been. “Doesn’t matter," the brown youth commented, mostly to herself, though loud enough for the Evil One to hear. “I mean, the size. It’s acceptable in gentle society," she added. She stuck out her tongue, with the glittering blue bead stabbed through it, and then snatched up the notepad Kakos had tossed back onto the countertop. A chuckle escaped her muzzle as she scanned the additions, and she shook her fox-like cranium slowly, peering at the inquisitive Kakos. “You’re right, we can just pick up things we need. Er, I need. You can help me pick out some shit to liven this place up." Mismatched orbs floated to the ceiling, as ’Kie paused to wonder what she needed to take along on this particular expedition. Kakosenas, of course, who was now dressed in proper gear. The younger of the two peered down at her own ensemble, discerning that it was all right, too. What could be offensive or out of place about a pair of baggy, black cargo pants, and a tight maroon tee? It only showed the tiniest sliver of her pierced belly, so all the old ladies at the store could just blow it out their hole if they were offended. Time to get used to these things. Otherwise, all she needed to grab was her dormitory key card, her list, and some shoes. The latter of which she found once she pawed her way over to the entertainment center once more, and dug through the clothing drawers. A pair of maroon and white sneakers could be found in the lowest drawer. They were swiftly placed on white feet, and then — all set, and ready to go! “You ready?" Okkie voiced to Kakos, who was still hovering in the center of the room, looking a bit bleary. “Let’s go." With a soft hand, she prodded her obsidian companion out into the hallway. Stormwing then turned around, slid the door shut, and jiggled the doorknob to make sure it was stiffly locked. Then, she began to saunter up the corridor, her tennis shoes silent on the carpet. She peered once or twice behind her, to make sure the purple-tufted pendragon was following her, but otherwise kept her view straight ahead. Even as she fished in her pants pocket, withdrew a cigarette, and then a lighter, and lit one up, taking drags on it even as they reached the stairs which led up, and to the outside.
Kakosenas grinned largely. She considered rolling the sleeves up on the sweater for a moment, just up to her elbows. To expose her forearms. But it really didn’t seem all that necessary once she thought of it. The hoodie did a good job at hiding what lay underneath. So she decided to just let it do just that. Okkie had said it was fine anyway, and there was no real point in arguing. The tar colored pendragon had raised an eyebrow as Okkie had read over her additions to the list and chuckled, but Kakos had otherwise remained silent. Obviously Okkie had found something funny. Perhaps it was their different writing styles that had struck her as being humorous. That was probably it. Kakosenas began fidgeting with the hoodie, tugging it here, smoothing it out there, picking at various parts. Eventually she was roused out of her nitpicking by the younger female’s voice. You ready? Let’s go. Kakos nodded, letting herself be lead out of the room. It wasn’t until they were walking swiftly away from the dormitory that two realizations dawned upon the tufted female. The first one to hit her was the actual fact that /she/ herself, was going to a grocery store. A place with other creatures. It might even be crowded. And what about the stair stalker? Kakos’ breath hitched and caught in her throat, causing her to utter a small and strangled cough. She could already feel the anxiety building deep within her stomach. She could feel nervous butterflies, fluttering around in there and sipping tea with the anxiety. Kakosenas hurried her step a little bit to catch up to Okkie. It was day! Plain daylight! She shouldn’t be here. She shouldn’t be wandering these halls towards the exit. She should be… it was right then that the second realization hit Kakosenas. She laughed out loud. Okkie had lit up a cigarette now, but that wasn’t what Kakos had suddenly found funny. She sped up a bit, falling into step with Okkie now. “You know that list?" she said at last, “Hehe… you should probably cross out that virgin’s blood. I don’t know what I was thinking. I mean, we won’t find that in a grocery store. Not from the employees anyway. All they do in the back storage room is… yeah. Actually," she paused thoughtfully, “maybe one of the customers are though… Yeah, yeah… just leave it on the list. You never know."
The staircase curled up in front of them like a giant serpent woven out of dark steel. Okkie pricked her ears as she heard a murmur of footsteps on the stairs far below, but she let it flop back as she shifted her attention from the distant thudding to her cigarette. Her lighter was held deftly in one hand, its shiny plastic red as an apple, and her thin cigarette was held in the other. With a flicker of one ivory thumb, a flame popped from the lighter, and the end of the paper roll began to smolder. The banded pendragon immediately inhaled, sucking in a lung full of sweet, thin smoke. It tickled down her ribs, and swirled against the soft pink flesh of her innards, then she forced it back out, a silver cloud of miasma making a halo around her head. It was a moment of pure bliss for her, though the cigarette was just that — a cigarette. There was not a single trace of marijuana in it. In fact, lately, Okkie had almost gone cold turkey on any use of pot, and she was liking it better that way. Sure, getting stoned could be fun. Once in a while. But doing it constantly was just asking for trouble. And trouble was always on her tail, always. It had very nearly tackled her at a mansion party not too long ago, and, well, she was none to keen to relive that experience. Control was good. Drugs were bad. Therefore, the softly-blazing cigarette held now betwixt two silken fingers was conspiciously devoid of any weed. It was just a run-of-the-mill coffin nail, as she had once heard Trail put it, but just as good as any joint had ever been. She nibbled on the dead end with pearly daggers, repeating her inhaling and exhaling patterns. That was, until she realized it had been a full three minutes since she had arrived at the stairs — and it was time to keep moving. Letting her arm fall to her side, Okkie swiveled a bit to peer at Kakosenas. The night-colored female was now flanking her, rambling something about the shopping list. The caramel female had to dig herself out of the momentary reverie the cigarette had caused, and then her ears seemed to rid of their clog. She heard her friend’s words, even chuckled at them. Virgin’s blood? She had not seen this little addition as any big deal. True, it was very unlikely they would find a bucket of it stored in the freezer section, on sale for five bucks a pop, or three for the price of two, but its presence on the list was harmless. Then again, Okkie said, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, lifting her cancer stick to her mouth again to inhale a larger breath of poisonous smoke. If the wrong person saw that list, and that same wrong person took a close look at Kakos, our asses could be grass. Maybe we should just scratch it off. Er, or maybe not. It’s just a joke. And, like she said, you never know. “Hum, whatever. C’mon. Up the stairs, we go!" Cigarette dangled from her lips as Okkie engaged both hands to grip the railings on either side of the stairs. She began to hoist, rather than walk, up the steps, skipping two or three at a time. She chortled at her acrobatic antics, peering over her shoulder as she ascended. Was Kakosenas following? To be sure, Stormwing would not have been surprised if her counterpart was reluctant. After all, it was day outside, the sun was shining brightly up above. But the Evil One did not seem overly hesitant. She, too, placed a foot on the bottom step, and began to follow. Reassured, Okkie turned around, continuing to leap and bound up the stairs, monkeying her way closer towards the exit.
OkkieÂ’s response hadnÂ’t been quite what Kakosenas had been expecting, but no matter. Kakos wrinkled her nose and tugged at the sweater once more. This hoodie, this situation, none of it felt right. And now they were back on the stairs. The very place that Kakosenas had escaped from just previously. Kakos idled on the platform for a minute, watching as Okkie swung herself up the steps using the railings. She seemed to be having fun. Almost as if she were playing a game. Reluctantly, Kakosenas followed. Though her movements were not nearly as airy and as playful as her counterparts. She could have sworn that the faint echoing of footsteps could be heard coming from below. Silly. Stairs were be made to be used and walked upon. So what if someone else was using them? Another person on the stairs didnÂ’t mean anything. Not everyone that used the stairs was after them. The person that she had heard before would have been long gone by now. All of her insecure thoughts, all of her worrying had to be the result of paranoia. No one was after them. No one. Kakos paused, taking the time to glance over the railing and down the tamgled mess of stairs below. She couldnÂ’t see anyone. Satisfied for the time being, she broke into a bit of a jog, watching the door numbers pass by as they climbed higher. OkkieÂ’s new dormitory sure was close to the surface. In fact, the ground floor exit should be coming up at any second...
It did not take long — no more then seven or eight minutes — for the pair of pendragons to wind up the length of the stairs. Okkie was the first to emerge, still using her arms to hoist herself as she cleared the last stair. She found herself in the lobby of her particular wing of dormitories, and her first reaction was astonishment. The walls were a rich shade of fire engine red, with shimmering golden pinstripes dripping down them in perfect vertical lines. The floor beneath her feet was a stark, glimmering oak, and in the middle, a plush rug had been thrown over it. Okkie moved a few feet forward, to set her hind feet on said rug, and she felt its luxurious texture, sank into it. She then looked to her immediate right and left, and her line of vision was greeted with a matching set of love seats, a deep puce color, imprinted with flowers, and edged in golden tufts. She reached out to stroke one of these sprigs of fair yarn, and she found herself suddenly the victim of a choking bout of laughter. The lobby nearby to her old dormitory was a garbage dump compared to this place. It had been a simple lounge, with a threadbare carpet, a beaten old entertainment center, a few mismatched couches, and an old, dusty television set. It had also been overly crowded, whereas there seemed to be nobody else lurking in this gorgeous chamber. Her laughter lasted a good moment as the contrasts of the two lobbies tickled her funny bone, but then it died, just as abruptly, from her lips. Okkie lifted her hand from where it was limp at her side, took a puff of her cigarette, and then shook her head with something like bittersweet remorse. Oh, what pulling a few strings could get you, where it could get you! After the impact of the beautifully designed room, Okkie nearly forgot that Kakosenas was behind her. She spun on her heel, and saw that her friend was standing a few feet off, looking as out of place as ever in her shabby clothing. Seeing her there, Okkie almost winced, knowing that if a bell boy or a lobby manager (were there such things?) happened by, the two of them would be hollered at for being in such casual states in so regal a center. Once more, the younger Storming left her cigarette dangling from her lips, as she reached out and grabbed Kakos, now in quite a hurry to get them out of there. She kept her clutch wrapped, vise-like, around her friend’s arm as they passed out of the room, into an equally renovated hallway, and then through a row of glass doors, to the wonderful, spectucular, marvelous place known as the Outside. “You all right?" It was an instinctive question coming from the banded female, for she knew that her counterpart was not quite a creature of the day. Not only was the Evil One black in appearance, she was just as shadowy in spirit, preferring to skulk about in the darkness. Well, not today, Okkie mused to herself, as she let go of Kakos and motioned for her to follow. The former then began to stroll up the cobblestone path, her sneakers slapping a steady tempo on the walkway. Leading the way. Though, where to? Coyote features knitted a bit as the female peered around, as if expecting a shopping center to pop up out of the ground and offer its services. Of course, no such thing happened, and Twelve had to think hard about where they were going to go. She knew that there was a shopping center on campus, just a mile or two away, and that they could simply walk there. But would Kakosenas be okay with that? She wondered, as she glanced over her shoulder at her companion. Did she have the endurance, the energy, and the general wont to make that kind of trip? Not that it was really up to her. Okkie was determined to get her shopping done, and she patted the cargo pocket into which she had inserted her list. Kakosenas had put a few of her own items on it, and so it was only fair that she tag along. After all, Okkie was a far cry from a delivering service. Kakos was shit out of luck if she thought her friend would simply pick up her things and drop them off on her doorstep. “Come on, come on, keep up now." Taking a deep breath, Okkie continued onward, following the stone walkway. As she progressed, she approached a group of teenage males clustered on the path, blocking the way. As she slowly encroached, she wondered if she should make a big deal out of their living blockade, or if she should just guide herself, and Kakosenas, around them. It turned out that the answer lay in the boys themselves. As they saw Stormwing and Shriker approaching, the former with her head held at a confident level, the forming somewhat slinking along, they seemed to turn as one, eyes oily and mischievous, all pairs of ears seeming to slip slyly back, as one. The leader of the pack, a hulking gray male, took a step forward just as the pair of femmes reached them, and he made as if to prod Okkie in the chest, instigator-like. Only, at the last minute, it seemed, he remember that she had breasts, and such a move was inappropriate. So he merely shifted his bulky weight from one foot to the other, and glared down at her, crossing his beefy arms and giving her quite an indignant, albeit immature, look. “You wan’ cross ’ere, lil’ bitches? You gots to blow me and my friends then, you know. This is," And he gestured at the general area around him and his cronies, “Our land, y’see?"
Kakos flinched. This entire section of the school seemed to be fit for royalty of some sort. Actually, the entire setup reminded her vaguely of her parents. The colours were rich, the floors spotless, the walls tall. She even fancied that she could hear something akin to soft flowing music being played in the background. Kakosenas had never even stepped foot in this particular wing of the school. So all of these decorations and embellishments were as new to her as they were to Okkie. The sheer beauty of this area appeared to have caught Okkie in its glittery bauble-filled web. It was nice, that Kakos had to admit. She watched as her friend investigated the surroundings while she, herself, tried not to touch anything. It wasn’t too long before Okkie snapped out of the spell that the room had softly woven around her. She returned to Kakosenas, snagged her hard by the wrist and briskly pulled her out of the place. Down, down a hall, through a set of doors, and then they were out. Kakosenas let out a shaky breath, realizing only now that she’d been holding it as they traveled the length of the hall. “You all right?" “The sunlight isn’t about to turn me to dust, if that’s what you mean. I won’t melt either." Kakos mumbled in response to Okkie’s concerned question as she dropped her grip. Kakosenas cast a heated glance up at the sun as it shone brightly overhead, creating deep shadows as it hit solid objects. On all solid objects, save for Kakosenas of course. Its rays shone right through her. No playful shadow lay attached to her feet. No. She wriggled her fingers, glancing down at the ground where her shadow was supposed to be. Nothing. Yet another reason why she chose not to wander around in broad daylight. At least while it was dark outside, her missing shadow didn’t seem so obvious. She was feeling a little better now that she was outside though. At least here if something were to happen, she really couldn’t be backed into a corner. There was more space in order to maneuver in as well. So it was with growing confidence and a more fluid step that Kakosenas trailed Okkie with now. They wandered along a stone walkway, Kakos eyes sweeping over the scenery. The entire place was rather deserted. Perhaps Okkie’s entire reasoning about “classes being in session" really did have some validity to it. Yet their path wasn’t completely devoid of all living creatures as Kakosenas quickly learned. They had company. At first it seemed as if they would be able to slip by them without incident, save for maybe a few catcalls and lewd gestures. However, it grew ever apparent that that wasn’t to be so. Okkie was halted by a rather large brute, his stance stubborn and his ego most likely being fed by his companions. Still lingering a little behind Okkie, Kakosenas listened to this fellows rather brash proclamation. Some little brain switch seemed to have been flicked on or triggered just then, as Kakosenas’ mental attitude changed dramatically. She strode easily up to Okkie’s side, her right hand trailing up her confidant's left arm to rest on her shoulder after giving it a short squeeze. She swayed casually at her friend’s side, her expression cold and belittling as she looked over the living blockade. {Looks like we‘ve found that virgin’s blood.} She telepathed privately to Okkie, her mental tone rather complacent.
As the male’s words infiltrated her ears, the banded female was immediately disgusted, but more indignant than anything. What kind of egomaniacal bastard made such a request to two passerby just trying to make their way to the grocery store? As her brain wrapped itself around this question, Okkie found herself living up to her name, and becoming quite incensed. Rage began to flood in her veins, and her eyes narrowed into little slits that peered back at the cluster of males, a glitter of loathing hatred swimming in their depths. She grew hot, and flushed with anger, as her cottony white hands balled into fists, her nearly finished cigarette getting crushed and falling to the stone walkway in the process. She wanted to control her anger, to not show it to these males. That would satisfy them far too much. But Okkie could not help it as her large ears pinned back, and her lip lifted a degree. Wrath crashed through her like a waterfall of lava. That was, until a coolness, a certain chill, interfered. Kakosenas’ icy hand. Quicksilver talons trailed up Okkie’s arm, leaving a path of invisible ice drops, and then her companion squeezed her shoulder. As if this was the anti-catalyst, the Angry One began to calm down, her clenched fists suddenly drooping, and her ears becoming erect and confident again. To add to her growing calm, the Evil One let loose a telepathic joke, and her younger counterpart just had to laugh, a relaxed, cutting laugh that tore through the air as she continued to look at the group of males. You’re probably right on the button, Stormwing replied, via thought-speak, to her charcoal friend. Nobody would lay a finger on that brute. Not too ugly, but he has the personality of a warty skeekipper. As she telepathed to her friend, Okkie’s eyes began to slide up and down the leader’s form, scrutinizing quite coldly. He seemed to grow a tad uneasy by her stare, and he shifted his weight while casting a glance at his comrades. Something about their presence obviously boosted his weedy confidence, and when he turned back to face the two females, a cocky grin was etched on his face, a white tooth emerging over his lip as he directed this snide expression at them. For a brief instant, Okkie let herself feel the anger again. She let it jet quickly through her, like a flash of lightning inside a bottle. In this same fleeting moment, her orbs snapped shut, and she imagined just what she would like to do to these males, namely their frontman. In her mind’s eye, she saw herself launching at him, claws unsheathed, pearly daggers bared in a menacing snarl. She leaped for his torso, initially, her nails raking at any flesh she could grasp, purposely avoiding his throat, lest he die before she had her fun with him. As he struggled to throw her off, adrenaline made her into an invincible force, and she stuck to him like hot glue on wood, using tooth and nail to inflict damage, to ravage him. In the space of a few minutes (in her reverie, though only a second or two passed in real time), she had ripped open his shirt, and sliced many deep gouges across his chest. Next, she let go of him, hopped backwards to avoid his swinging arms, which attempted to clout the daylights out of her. She circled, and then, seeing a space in his thrusting limbs, she lunged, her jaws closing around his genitals. Blow job, indeed. Had he been any more attractive, perhaps a tiny bit less cocky and a tiny bit more appealing, she would have perhaps gave him a lick, a trembling kiss. But she was far too reviled by his presence. Thus, as her hot teeth encircled his private regions, she took no time for tenderness. Her jaws came together with a white hot snap, and just like that, he was castrated, and then some. She spat out the carnage on the stone, as his screams ripped like peals of thunder through the courtyard. Now, having had her fun, she had to silence him, kill him. This she did, with one swift movement, leaping up to his throat and slashing it just twice. The force of her pounce, and the loss of blood, caused the male to fall backwards, and she clung to him even after he was down, covered in hot, wet blood, shining on every surface, even as he let out his last, tinny bellows of agony. Which faded into blank nothingness, as Okkie opened her eyes five seconds later, her line of vision colder than a polar ice cap. Of course, the mocha female knew, she would never commit such heinous crimes of violence. Could not, more like it. She knew that her reverie would have been more plausible if Kakosenas had been the murderer, but that would not have satisfied her. She needed the image of rendering this brute lifeless to construct a pedestal of confidence, a base of will power which she could feel inside her now. It enabled her to look him starkly in the eye, and open her mouth with a cool, calculated reply, her voice as smooth as liquid mercury. “You want us to blow you, eh? Could you be more specifice, please? By that request, did you want me to put my mouth against your tiny, greasy, barely there pig dick? Or did you, instead, want me to blow you away? I am quite afraid I cannot fulfill the former request, as I would never befoul my mouth like that, or I would be vomiting for months straight. As for the latter, well, I am quite sure that my friend and I could willfully carry it out. Because, you see, these twelve or so cargo pockets of mine are filled with knives of various sizes. Even the smallest could cut off your precious, by a long mile. Not to mention Kakosenas herself. I am sure you heard the rumors about the shredded corpse found in the Janardan basement not too long ago? Well, here is the artist of that masterpiece. She is looking for more eyeballs to add to her personal collection. And yours, my dears, will do just fine."
