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 Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:15 pm
His back still to the Sloth and the Kelpie, the hunchback huddled down lower, hands balling into fists as he wobbled back and forth as though his uneven form had decided to emulate a pendulum. He was... debating. Slowly, agonizingly, thoroughly. He waited through each question, hoping the next would be easier to answer- until finally he found the piece he was looking for, hauling it out only to have it land on his bear toes and he gave a muffled howl of pain. He let the iron door fall to the carpet with a black smear behind it, hopping away as it seemed he was finally at his whit's end. Face and hands trembling, he snatched up the notebook and pencil, hunkering down to write. He tried to keep it concise, but... After some time, he handed what looked more like a letter forcefully at the Sloth on the floor a few steps away before lurching to try to wrestle the heavy door up onto the workbench.
Was bad. Fixed. Shouldn't have listened. Should have behaved. Master so angry I can tell. Must obey Master. Igors built to serve others not themselves. Shouldn't be bad. She called him Stupid not stupid not stupid she didn't know couldn't know she was WRONG Mistress angry about hitting her. Lucky So lucky not spare parts. Don't know what to do anymore everything is bad. miss talking. Easier than writing. Need to make things right with Ms. Amrita. Must finish her containment device.
Never meant to hurt her. Shouldn't have called Master Stupid. Not right. Am not a bad Igor. Will do things right. Don't want trouble.
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Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:35 pm
Barth did his best to decrypt the very unspecific message Christof had dropped in his lap. Luckily, he was an expert in vague and unhelpful. The Master in the note wasn't him, that much he was sure about. Which left, by process of elimination, the other Master.
"That's err, Amrita's blood? Is she um, alright? Sorry to ask so many questions. You just seem very...out of sorts."
Barth reread the note, slowly.
"I...don't think you're bad. Or that...anyone who made you is stupid. I think they must have been very clever."
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:39 am
It was rather hard to talk to just one person when you had to write it down, but he was getting the distinct impression that Christof wanted nothing to do with him. The fact he tossed the notebook at Barth and wasn't so much as bothering with him really stung, and he watched as Mr. I-Don’t-Give-A-Damn-My-Friend-Is-Worried toss the notebook to his master. Always the master. He was getting rather pissed at this hierarchy of importance, and his ears dropped in response.
Frowning, Calder moved over, moving to look at Barth and open his palm. "Let me read." He doubted Barth would put up a fight for it.
It was Barth's mention of Amrita's blood that made his head turn. He only met the little ghoul once in one of the worst situations, but she had been a tiny, small thing that liked to check on the Igor. Whiping his head about, he looked over at the hunchback. "Amrita? You hurt Amrita? Little, tiny, ghoul, Amrita?" Seeing as how strong and bigger the Igor was in comparison, it seemed like a unfair fight, if the ghoul was even the fighting type. Considering how often the boil lost his temper and started throwing fists, he wondered if a bad accident happened. "Is she okay?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:47 am
The hunchback had wobbled, eyes getting glassy again at Barth's strategic compliment. He flushed at the sudden accusation though- Amrita's blood? As far as he knew, the ghoul hadn't been bleeding, just battered and startled. Face trembling he shook his head, timidly opening his shirt a button or two to show the claw mark gouges starting to scab near his reddened mark before timidly pointing in the direction of Riley's room next door, and then to the older stains on his shirt and then to his mouth, his face red as though that should have been obvious. Is that what everyone thought of him? That he was capable of pounding an innocent ghoul into a bloody pulp on the ground? Apparently so. No more hitting.
He snorted, waving a hand at both of the other boils, urging them back to their game as best he could, while rummaging around now for that piece of tempered glass he KNEW was around here somewhere from a broken table top... Just keep busy. They'll give up eventually. And if Barth was going to drag his feet into infinity, it was up to him to figure out how to finish the device.
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:02 am
Barth let Calder have the paper.
Had Riley stitched Christof's mouth shut? It was like some unnecessarily complicated mystery. Her mark had changed, too, a wound instead of a proper contract.
"Christof, what's going on? Did...did Riley...?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:26 am
Taking the notebook, Calder read through it several times, greatly confused. Seeing as Barth was right here, it didn't click yet that he was talking about his other master. What he did catch was that Christof hurt someone, that his mistress was mad, and that he was scared. The fact he still wanted to talk made the kelpie smile a little, but not for long. If he wanted to talk, why were his stitches back in place.
Looking back at Christof, he thought of similar times the boil had been shaking and afraid, and all times they were when he felt he was doing wrong, was bad, and was afraid. There was always something he was afraid of, and it almost always meant he would be made into parts. The boil just wanted to live, and yet he couldn't really "LIVE" like most boils and ghouls when he was always shaking in his boots - well, if he were wearing them right now.
It was the mark on his chest that caused the kelpie's eyes to widen, the deep ridges of fingernail marks, the red, rosy wound, and then the boil pointing to his mouth. Riley did this. She stitched up the boil's mouth and then dug into her. What the hell was wrong with that ghoul!
The notebook was slammed on the ground. "I can't believe her!" He shouted, turning about and heading for the door. To go so far as that. "I knew it. She never liked it. Everyone always has to be HER way." Lousy, good-for-nothing.....
He made his way to the door. "She can't leave well enough alone, can she?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:47 am
"Hrrrrnnng!" The patchwork managed, turning to frantically wave his hands 'no' before hurrying after the kelpie, reaching to grab the Kelpie's shoulder to stop him. He wanted so badly to tear the fresh stitches out and try at least tongueless to explain but no no no no no he shouldn't think like that no CANDLEJACK this was ALL CALDER'S FAULT if he could have just left things well enough he'd be happily... doing whatever it was he did. Not... missing the taste of... tastes, not getting frustrated by his Master Creator's mendings not... not doing a lot of things. With a whine, he let go, holding his now throbbing head, dropping to sit on the carpet.
It was all so complicated, more complicated than it needed to be. He wished it was simpler. If he was a better Igor he wouldn't have cared so much in any case. He wouldn't have cared what his... his... his friends thought. He would have cut Calder into Parts just for INSINUATING he should disobey his Master. There would be no hesitation, just the job and his hands.
He had been lucky with Riley, so lucky- thanks to Calder he had nearly lost everything he had been working so hard to gain. The scratches didn't hurt nearly as much as his nerves did at that point. He just wanted to make things right for Amrita, why couldn't they understand??
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 11:00 am
"Hold on, Calder." If there were any discussions that were going to be had with Riley, he would have them. Not now, because he was on the floor and who knows where Riley was. But eventually. "Here," Barth said, reaching over and steering his laptop across the floor to where Christof was sitting in a frustrated heap.
"Type. From the beginning, this time. Starting with the dance."
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 11:08 am
The yank on his arm stopped him and he stopped, mainly because he wasn't as sturdy on his feet as before when Christof tried to yank him one way or another. Usually he'd just drag the Igor or pull him away, but weak in one hoof, he stopped with a wince. Okay, pulling on the boil with the bad leg was not a good idea. Turning, he looked down and knew the patchwork was clearly miserable, and he wanted to help with that. He wanted some sort of justice delivered. Something to make it better. So many people USED the Igor that he wondered if any of them really cared about what was going on with the poor boil. It was as if he was ignored.
Frowning, he watched the boil plop. "…but she hurt you…." He whispered, but it didn't seem to matter. Even if Riley beat him over the head with a crowbar and smashed his skull in, the Igor would still defend her. He cared about her more in the end.
As Barth offered a new form of communication, Calder eyed the door, but remained where he was. He just wanted to do right, as a friend.
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 11:30 am
Christof stared at the laptop with unease, brows furrowing as he debated his options. One Master had said No, this Master said Yes, Riley seemed indifferent so long as he did as she said. Breathing heavily, his face looking miserable, he gingerly pulled the laptop over and carefully, systematically wrote out the synopsis as commanded.
Enjoyed Dance. Did not get Ms. M back to room, but it was okay.
Got to room. Felt good. Contacted by Master: reprimanded for insubordination. Should not have cut stitches. Bad. Found out about it. Watching me.
Not feeling well. Slept a while. Confused and frustrated. Not sure what to do with self.
Ms. A arrived, was concerned. Tried to keep things to business. Thought she was there to pick up her parts.
Called Master Stupid. Got angry with her. Should not have done so but had no choice. Called master stupid. Unacceptable.
Ms. A called Mistress and Master Malodore. Reprimanded again. Took my mark away. Threatened. Was scared- don't want to be abandoned. Don't want to be spare parts. Tried to make up. Mistress does not give second chances. We had a deal. Had to keep up deal. Closed contract again begrudgingly. Have to make up for what I did. Don't want to be Bad. Don't want to be Spare Parts. Just want to help. Feel happiest when Master or Mistress is happy. Just want to feel good and proud again. Don't want to be a failed experiment.
He stared at what he had typed, brows furrowing as he tried to think if he had forgotten anything. His face looked miserable, but Master Barth had commanded he explain better, and there it was, as best as he could articulate and with minimum typos.
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:08 pm
Christof had left out some important information. Barth was not sure when his mouth had been restitched, or why Riley had carved the image of her mark sans Contract into Christof's chest. Still, this was clearer.
He hadn't mentioned the containment device in this note, but he had in the previous one. Barth knew what he was talking about. He sorted the information in his head before responding.
"Thank you. The containment device should be easy enough to take care of. ...You err, should get cleaned up first. Not that the blood doesn't lend you a certain dangerous air. You can use my bath. If you like. ...I'm glad the dance went alright."
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:18 pm
Calder has started to sit down next to Christof, watching him type and also to ease off the weight on his leg. As he did, he slowly absorbed the words being written in short, simple order. A few things were still unclear, but a lot had been explained. Christof's master came and got upset with him. Not a master, but THE Master. Christof's creator. His 'father and mother or sorts but without the connection to caring. It seemed that the Igor's experiment to have stitches had landed him in a whole heap of trouble, and Calder couldn’t ignore that it was his fault. He didn't know that his master would up and show up and get so upset on what was clearly a good thing. Seemed whoever this guy was, he wasn't the type to like any improvements made without his consent. A thing to note. If Calder tried to help his friend, it couldn't be anything you could spot from looking at him. The clothes and removed stitches probably didn't go over well.
Frowning, he continued to read, and the story only got worse and worse. Despite what Christof might have liked, what little taste of freedom he got, he couldn't have it. In fact, overall, he'd rather be happy by making his masters and mistresses happy and not by doing something he directly wanted. As much as something made life easier for Christof, he wouldn't be happy without their approval.
Calder paused in his reading, knowing the feeling. Christof just wanted to be with someone and do right by them.
Calder continued to read once more, frowning as he did, his stomach twisting as he did. Once done, he looked at his friend and then at Barth. Christof would always prefer demons over monsters. Creatures that created contracts and could make the Igor feel worthwhile. The kelpie wanted to say that Chrisof wouldn't have been alone. He had friend. Friends that didn't need to a contract that liked him, but he didn’t. The Igor probably would have thought it was a stupid idea.
"If you need this thing to make you happy, I can help…….if you want." He whispered, not looking at the boil.
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:37 pm
The hunchback wobbled, still frowning down at the laptop as it was shifted this way and that for his associates to read. Predominantly, he needed to finish the containment unit. That was the first and foremost thought in his mind. Clean up? He supposed he should, Barth was right, he looked entirely unpresentable. He swayed to his feet, leaving the laptop behind as he approached the bathroom, but paused when he spied his reflection in the full length mirror by Barth's bed. Oh... Hell's Bells. Had Master Fell been watching? His heart was racing as he lurched over to it, grabbing a sheet that had been covering one of Barth's many transportation devices to quickly use it to cover the mirror before vanishing into the bathroom to do the same with a towel inside behind the swiftly shut door.
At least after a while they heard water running.
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:52 pm
Barth watched, but did not comment, as Christof covered the mirrors and headed towards the bathroom. More mysteries.
"Well err," he said to Calder, "that answered some questions. Sort of. Didn't take either of us up on our offers to help, did he?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:56 pm
He sat on the ground, glancing over when Christof was gone to watch him cover some mirrors and then go take a bath. When it came to worrying about himself, the Igor failed miserably. He needed people, he needed his MASTERS and MISTRESSES to tell him what to do. Bitter, he reread what Christof wrote with a set frown. "No, he didn't, but when does he ever need our help? I mean..." he looked over at the demon. "...unless you have a contract." He leaned over, pressing the laptop closed so he wouldn't have to look at it, and rose up.
Moving on. "What is this containment unit?"
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