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 Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:45 pm
Chapter 15: Bonding
"You cheated!" Hearing a familiar voice saying those words from behind me, I feel a smug expression spread across my features. Turning around in my neon green full-body ducksuit, the smug expression turn into a full-blown cheshire-cat grin: Lana still hasn't found the real me. The person she has tapped the shoulder of is another friend of mine: she swapped her costume for my EVCU "casual range" clothing, and since we are the same height and have similar builds, from behind we are pretty much identical. The Cosplay Cafe is one of my regular haunts, and so I'm good friends with almost all the other regulars.
Turning my back on Lana and Connie, I continue my conversation with a tutu-clad chimpanzee.
"And the Mods of Fantasia still haven't sent me an email with their decision," I sigh, nursing a shot of blood mead. Patting my arm/wing in sympathy, the chimpanzee skulls his own drink: a rum and cola.
"Too bad! Sucks to be you right now, eh?" I nod. Simon is a level 73 human thief in Fantasia, and one of my online character's few regular comrades. The music currently playing from the sound system is a dance remix of "Masked Avenger", the theme song of a popular online fiction series. It's only a matter of time, though, before Lana finds me: she knows that I'm still inside the cafe since the current patron list features my name.
"Lars!" Dropping herself onto a stool beside mine, Lana orders herself an espresso frappe with caramel creme. "You're a cheat." Still talking to Simon, I gesture towards the annoyed Lana.
"Simon, this is Lana. Lana, Simon," I introduce cordially, sipping the blood mead in my glass. Simon waves, giving Lana his best monkey grin: yellow teeth and all. Awkwardly, Lana reluctantly waves back before turning back to me.
"Well? Aren't you going to apologise?" She demands, drinking her frappe through a holographic straw. The straw flashes different colours as icy liquid travels up its length.
"For what? I didn't do anything wrong," Sensing that his presence wasn't really desired by the newcomer, Simon gives me a nod goodbye before knuckle-walking to his gang of tutu-wearers.
"Yes you did: You cheated! You got one of your friends to take your place while you ran away! That's two against one!" Ordering another drink, this time a diabetic O- milkshake, I tilt my head sideways at the red head.
"Actually, it was three against one: I swapped my clothes with another friend." I comment innocently, earning myself a glare from Nicole Kidman's clone. "Anyway, that's one of the things you'll have to deal with as a real agent. Your quarry won't exactly be playing nice and fair, and you'll often be faced with a group of people working together." I respond, excusing and explaining my actions as another training exercise, when all they really were was an all-stops-removed attempt at getting some alone time. Lana doesn't buy it. Not completely, anyway.
"I'm still learning how to track one person working on their own, not a group of people working together, Lars!" Feeling better now that I've had three hours of freedom, I'm feeling generous. When my milkshake arrives, I swipe my wrist against the scanner to pay for my drink and Lana's at the same time. Seeing this, Miss Hunt looks surprised. "Lars?"
"Hey, you deserve it," I reply, smiling around the straw in my mouth. "As you said: you're still learning to track one person, and you still succeeded in tracking that one person despite me working with other people to ditch you. Congratulations,"
Glowing at the praise, the sweet-looking dimples reappear as a slight blush flushes the Academy girl's fair-skinned cheeks.
"Thank you," Catching Lana glancing again at my outfit I shrug, making the the neon-green feathers on my duck's wings shiver up and down.
"It worked for a little while, didn't it?" Mixed emotions flash across the elfen-faced girl's features.
"True. But couldn't you have found something less...embarassing?" Making another long-suffering sigh as I look to the heavens for patience, I just continue drinking my milkshake.
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:46 pm
Chapter 16: Real-Life Fantasia
"Breaking news today: Five serial stay-at-homes have just decided to break their daily routines and come out into the real world after seeing the same advertisement being shown on the Wily Macadamia website! We go now to speak to one of these people and their reasons for ending their online experience of life-" Switching the wall panel to show the place of our next mission, Sharla rolls hers eyes.
"News these days: nothing of real substance." Pulling out my handheld to read everyone else's work logs, I raise an eyebrow at the female vampire's comment. In the corner of my handheld's holographic screen, I surreptitiously watch the rest of the news report. The woman they interview is completely hairless, blinking myopically at the camera as the reporter asks her questions. Her name? Bethanie Whiteling. Age: 31. Occupation: Graphic Designer. Reason for changing her lifestyle completely? Well, after seeing that ad on the Wily Macadamia website, I was just filled with a sense of unfulfillment and longing for Real Life interaction- Raising an eyebrow at this, I close the small window in disappointment: It had looked interesting, but this woman's reason was the most mundane reason I could possibly think of.
"It was a tabloid news channel, Sharla. What do you expect?" Hearing my words and, apparently, the small window I had been briefly watching on my handheld, Lana giggles but doesn't say anything. Much to my relief, actually. Making herself comfortable on a chair to my right, Lana has her own lavender handheld ready to take notes on the meeting.
"True," The intelligence officer sighs and goes back to business, seeing that the rest of the team is now present and ready. "This is planet HF01387: A fantasy recreation of the Middle to Dark Ages. For a more detailed information package, read this file-" On all of our handhelds, a link to an interactive video file appears. While still keeping an ear on the proceedings, I open and quickly glance through the planet's profile. And grin.
Loosely based on the Middle to Dark Ages, HF01387 features: fire and acid breathing dragons, unicorns, faeries, Wiccan spirits and deities, witches, warlocks, and elves. So, basically, a real-life version of Fantasia. Win!
"-the Fantasy recreation does not, however, normally feature vampires as part of its repertoire of fantastical creatures. This time, the main target is female-" Said woman's profile comes up on screen and again, like Harlem, this woman doesn't appear to be remarkable. Another sacrificial pawn. "This caught my attention mainly because the pattern of the disappearances matched the pattern followed by Harlem Mantague." Taking over, Gareth pulls up five faces with names and specialties written underneath the busts.
"When we arrive on the Fantasy planet, we will be joining another EVCU team who have already been working on the case. Our instructions from superiors are to work together with this team as an accessory and provide them with information on our own experience with our target," Kathy groans.
"Accessory? Why do we have to be the ones deferring to their orders? We're the ones who've already gotten experience on catching one of these guys!" Most of the others express similar feelings of annoyance. Me, on the other hand. Real-life Fantasia! Like: Oh my Gawd! Real-life Fantasia! I am so going as either a half-elf warlock, or dark elf fighter. Taller, and lean. Gotta be lean and wiry. I'm getting paid to go to a real-life Fantasia! Woot! Hearing my inner self squealing in delight at the prospect of going undercover on HF01387, I take a deep, calming breath. I'm there to catch a criminal. This is serious. But...real-life Fantasia!
"...Lars? Are you alright?" Jolted back into the conference room by the sound of Sharla's voice, I look around at the rest of my team. They're staring at me like I've just turned into a giant polka-dotted fly. Shoot. Feeling my face go a little pink, I hesitantly wave.
"Yes. I'm fine." I peep, trying a reassuring grin. Yeah, REALLY suave, Lars: you sound like you just sucked helium. Mentally kicking myself, I glance around the conference table again. They're still staring at me. "Hello-o? Important meeting? Serial killer on the loose and all?" I prompt, voice returning to normal. Blinking at me once, Gareth is the first to turn back to the work at hand.
"Anyway, the ship we will be taking leaves tomorrow at 9:15am. Your seats have already been booked for the flight, so all you have to do is check in at the spaceport with your usual luggage. Any questions?" Waiting a moment for anyone else to ask their questions, I see that none are forthcoming and so pipe up.
"Can I be an elf warlock?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:01 pm
Chapter 17: Jealousy
"I can't believe you asked that, Lars!" Poking me in the ribs, Sharla's only personal luggage is her pet robo-monkey. Waiting with the rest of the team at Rasten Spaceport, I just grin stupidly. I'm gonna be an elf warlock! It's within the mission parameters, and can be written off as a mission expense! I'm gonna be an elf warlock! Gareth gave me the ok! He even said that I could customise my cover myself! Sharla pokes me again, this time harder. Catching her offending finger, I turn around to face the buxom brunette.
"And I can't believe you want to be covered in semen, Sharla!" I retort, bringing the manicured finger to my lips and kissing it. The brunette vampire's lips part slightly as she smiles. Off to the side Lana and Kathy pointedly ignore the two vampires' antics, loudly having a conversation about the mentality of criminals and serial killers. The giant wall panel briefly changes its display, going from a list of pending departures and arrivals into a giant neon clock. 9:08am.
"Want to help me with that fantasy, Mr. Nathket?" Hearing that sultry voice purring the question, I feel my legs go wobbly. Back when I was a woman, Sharla and I had been regular bunk buddies. Not dating or anything, just no-strings-attached sex. Remembering those times, I flick my tongue over my fangs salaciously. We only stopped being bunk buddies when Sharla started dating a guy she'd met online. When they broke up, I'd already had the gender reassignment and Sharla wasn't really in the mood for heterosexual sex again. In response Sharla steps closer to me, pressing her body to mine. Automatically, my hand goes up to rest on her hourglass waist. We are about to kiss when Leung coughs.
"Time, you guys." Glancing at the wall panel, I see that it is indeed time to board our spacecraft. With a sigh, we take a step back from eachother and make our way to the ship that would take us to HF01387. Like all other spaceports, the floor is made from faux steel, a holographic fractal pattern etched into the silvery plastic. Like all other spaceports, the corridors heading towards the actual spacecraft are painted white, the air ducts along the tops of the corridors covered by metal grates. Just like the Australian spaceport on HA01998, where we had finally caught Harlem.
Finding my gaze drawn to the air ducts, I close my eyes briefly. No, this is not the same spaceport. It looks similar, but there is no dead body in the air ducts. A pinch to my butt drags me away from the morbid train of thoughts, and I feel a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. I know what I'm going to be doing on the flight to HF01387 and if the pinch to my rear is any indication, I'll be doing it very soon.
"Lars, can you keep helping me with my tracking skills while we're travelling to HF01387?" Waving away the question with a suddenly very limp wrist, I laugh distractedly.
"Sure, sure." Sensing Sharla walking very closely behind me, I jump a little when this time she squeezes my right buttock with her entire hand. Yep, once we're on the ship, we'll be headed straight to Sharla's room. "Not right now though,"
"Why not now?" Placing emphasis on the second word, the slim red head increases her pace to come level with my left shoulder. To my right, Sharla begins to stroke my side with a finger. Seeing the 'look' Lana briefly shoots at the other woman, I groan. Don't tell me that the girl's jealous. Catching Sharla's scouting finger before it heads for more X-rated regions, I tangle my fingers with hers while keeping my eyes on Lana.
"Sharla has already booked me for the next few hours, Lana," I reply calmly, making my position clear to the Academy student. Lana's lips thin in annoyance, but she eventually nods. The curvaceous vampire behind me leans in to bite my neck, just nicking the sensitive skin. I won't say that I'm not turned on by Sharla's advances, but the lady is really flaunting it right now. Lana's eyes narrow, and she glares at Sharla. Sharla's response I can't see without turning my face, but obviously it is something that the human lady finds offensive since she then turns her face away with an audible "hmpf". "What did you do?" I ask with a frown, tilting my head to give Sharla better access to my neck.
"Nothing," Licking the droplets of blood forming on my neck, Sharla purrs, hugging my waist possessively. Oh great: They're both jealous. Swiping our wrists against the ship scanner, the door opens to let us board. First Gareth, Kathy, then Leung, followed by myself and Sharla, and soon after the miffed Miss Hunt. I am about to press the issue, tell Sharla to at least stop rubbing it in to Lana, when I catch the surlish pout on Lana's lips. That expression suggests that she's just had something of hers taken away. Frankly, it annoys me: I'm not an object to be 'owned' or 'stolen'. Sharla nibbles my earlobe with her relatively blunt incisors. Not that Miss Elnaer's current actions are any better in that respect.
"Ease up on the display, Sharla." Giving my earlobe another n**, I feel the full lips smiling against my skin and can't help but shiver in anticipation.
"Why? Don't you like it?" Freaking hell! I love it! Bite me harder! I want to feel those long nails as they scratch red welts into my back! I-
"Oh, I like it. But let's keep it PG for the kiddies, hm?" I breath, cupping Sharla's face to my neck with one hand. Another small n** and the female vampire pulls back, letting go of my waist and just stalking to her room. The way that round rear is rocking from side to side at me as Sharla walks is a more irresistible 'come hither' than any physical pull, and I happily obey the call.
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:02 pm
Chapter 18: Man-eater
"Oh my God! Lars! Are you alright?" Hearing the Academy student rush to my bedside, clucking and fussing over me, I groan, mumbling something into my pillow. It's supposed to be 'Yes, yes, I'm fine.'
"Ymm, messh. Mm phnnn." Understandably, this response only increases Lana's concern.
"I'm calling Leung: He'll fix you up, ok? Hang in there!" My face still buried in the pillow, I feel an expression of disbelief and annoyance express itself on my features. With much effort and groaning, I push myself onto my back so I can talk legibly.
"Lana, I'm fine. Tired, but fine." Jeez, hasn't this girl ever heard of BDSM? The unconvinced look she gives me is answer enough. With a soft 'hiss' the sliding door to my room closes again.
"You don't /look/ fine: You're covered in blood, cuts, bruises and.../BITE/ MARKS?!" Did I mention that vampires have acute hearing? I think I just lost mine. Wincing at the too-loud, too-high-pitched words, I irritably wave away Lana's concerned hands.
"As I said: I'm fine." Pausing there, I pinch the bridge of my nose. "It's called 'BDSM'. Look it up."
"I know perfectly well what BDSM is, but this is too much! You look like you've been mauled by a wild animal-"
"Scratched by a kitten," I interrupt, a satiated smile finding its way to my lips. Lana's eyes narrow.
"She's a man eater."
"And a woman eater, so be careful." Seeing Lana's jaw drop, I grin, flashing a brilliant set of teeth - and fangs - at the young woman. "What? You didn't think that I didn't know, did you?"
"..." Looking suddenly uncomfortable, the tall and slender girl keeps her eyes on her hands.
"Well, I know." Waving my hand at her to leave me in peace, I close my eyes again. "Shoo. Shoo. I'll help you with your training tomorrow,"
"Lars, I know what women like Sharla do to those who get too close," Pointedly ignoring her and hoping that she would get the message, I keep my eyes closed. "She uses a carrot at first, but once you're in her grasp, she will milk you for all you're worth. And once you're completely dry, she will throw you away. You say you know that she's a man eater, but you don't seem to think that maybe you are getting too close to the flame," When Lana falls silent, I still feel her presence beside me, sitting in the chair.
I have to say: I'm impressed. The Academy student has only been with the team for just over a month, and she is able to read Sharla like a book. I've seen the vampiress flirting with and luring potential partners, male and female alike, with sweet words and other charms. I've seen the way Sharla subtly turns the table, catching those people in a web of obligation, guilt and adoration. Most other people are caught and sucked dry within three months. I've been Sharla's on and off bedmate for over three years and she is still using a carrot on me. It's just a matter of putting your foot down enough to keep Sharla from thinking she has you around her finger, while indulging her enough to keep her interested.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Mr. Nathket."
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