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 Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:48 am
Virgo had poptarts. Strawberry, delicious poptarts. No one else seemed to like them much, but she did. And it was a little bit after lunchtime--the lonely pastry she still had happened to be the remainder of her meal.
You'd think she'd get bored of strawberry poptarts after a while. Not really.
She liked wandering around as Virgo. She didn't know why, but most zombies seemed to give her a very wide berth lately. Had someone done something? Maybe it was the honking great bite mark on her shoulder. (She had to be very careful in order to avoid Hero seeing it. That would probably be the end of her trips outside, even if only the ones with permission. So she transformed outside of the room, and was grateful no one but her was so sensitive to the smell of dried blood.)
Where did your clothes go when you transformed? They didn't come back clean, that was for sure...
Being pretty preoccupied, she didn't notice the approaching orange-haired Captain or the green-skinned student she was heading towards.
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:03 am
"Whaaaat shall I make you do now, my darling?"
Nealite, bored as ever, had stumbled across yet another lonely zombie student. It was a shame, really, that there was no other lieutenant in sight to occupy her time with. She'd rather enjoyed the zombie fights she had with Hematite, or the tug-o-war with a zombie with Linarite. She hadn't the faintest clue where Obby was in all of this, but, knowing the redhead, he was probably out having the time of his life with the newly made youma children.
One hand lifted for dramatic effect and she motioned towards the monster.
"Tell me I'm pretty again, darling." She ordered, having already humilated the creature with her demands, errands, and cruel games. "I want to hear you tell me just how utterly gorgeous I am!"
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 5:30 pm
It had all started because he couldn't find Avalon.
Even through the haze of near mind-consuming hunger, Grayson had known he needed to find her. He'd promised he would protect her, hadn't he? Promised he'd help her out, get her food, try to keep some small part of her human even though the rest of her had obviously turned to a zombie. But he hadn't been able to find her, and so he'd started wandering. He hadn't been as attentive as he would have liked, mostly because he kept getting distracted by the gnawing in his stomach, but he thought he'd been making progress.
And then he had run into the woman. It was strange, to see someone... alive. Wholly alive. He'd been excited, glad to see that there was some form of humanity left on the campus, but then he'd been dwarfed by the terrible, consuming hunger. It had taken his mind, warped his thoughts, robbed him of speech. But, he hadn't been able to attack. Hadn't wanted to attack.
It was like intense torture and a miracle at the same time. Every fiber of his body screamed for flesh, but at the same time, nothing in him wanted to tear the woman before him apart. It was soothing even as it drove him a little insane.
Then, she'd made him do things. At first, he hadn't understood why he was no longer master of his own motions, except that perhaps she was the zombie queen (did zombies have queens?) and therefore he was her... servant? It seemed to be the case. She didn't treat him well, but then, he supposed it was something of a relief not to shuffle around on his own.
Even in death, Grayson was still lazy. Having someone else call the shots... sort of worked for him. She didn't make life exactly easy, but he supposed it could have been worse. There were worse things than being ordered around by a stunningly beautiful woman with a soul made of pitch, right?
Right?
Eyes flicking to her, he worked his jaw, shoulders hunching inward a bit. Of her demands, it was one of the easier ones to comply to. After all, she was physically stunning. Anyone with a pair of eyes could see that.
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." True. It fell off his tongue easily, the kind of thing Grayson would have said in life of his own volition. He liked paying compliments where they were due. "Your skin almost glows."
Though he was looking at her, there wasn't a smile on his face. It was an expression of defeat, a resigned look, one of a man who was not allowing himself to hope for anything. If this was his queen, there was no getting away, was there? He wouldn't find Avalon. He wouldn't even be able to protect her. He'd simply do as she said until she decided he was no longer worth her time.
If she ever did.
"I've never seen hair that looked so soft. Really like silk -" He shook his head slightly, as though to avoid a nuisance, like a fly. "You have the kind of poise fit for a queen."
Still true.
The words felt a little bit like sandpaper scraping up his throat, however.
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 6:21 pm
Oh, there were people--oh, it was the Captain. Captain Nealite. The lady who had made Ignacio and Azzo attack them. Instinct told her to beat feet, and she would have, except... Wasn't that Grayson Graves? He'd died at the same time as Benny Beldon, hadn't he?
Virgo stopped walking, still nibbling on her poptart. She tried to tell herself that he wasn't being forced to rip himself up, but she still couldn't quite convince herself that it wouldn't get to that point. So she took a running jump, landing shakily on one foot and almost overbalancing, windmilling her arms wildly before regaining her balance.
Miraculously, she still had the poptart. Perhaps, though, this was not the time for toaster-based patry; with that in mind, she tossed it away and looked at Grayson. Then at Nealite. Grayson. Nealite. Finally, she asked, "Mrs. Captain, what are you doing?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:28 am
She'd begun to happily coo over the Queen comment her new toy had referred her to, when the familiar voice caused her head to jerk around.
Eyebrows rose, more out of curiosity than confusion.
"It's Miss Captain, dear, though soon enough will be changing to Mrs.. Sailor Virgo, is it?"
Names were easy when they belonged to twits who'd managed to defeat you in the past. Well, not so much defeat as have your head bashed and bruised by their ******** tiaras. Those were the senshi you remembered the names of.
Her hand lowered itself, Grayson temporarily forgotten as her attention turned fully towards the young woman.
"I'm currently having a bit of fun with my new darling here. Did you care to join us?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:20 pm
Apparently forgotten for the moment, Gray shifted, gaze falling on the human who had just arrived. It wasn't anyone he recognized, not by sight or sound of voice, and his hope fell a little. So far, he hadn't seen any living survivors of Barren Pines. Were there any? More importantly, what did the zombie queen have to do with the schoolgirl in an unseaonably short skirt?
Bring a hand up, he brushed at the side of his head, dulled to the fact that his fingers grazed an open wound. He was used to it now, disturbing a thought as that would have once been. What bothered him most just then, of course, was the fact that he still couldn't find Avalon, but considering the queen had the power to make him do whatever she wanted, he didn't think he could sneak away to find her.
Or could he?
Taking advantage of the moment, he mouthed "Sorry" to the girl, trying to slip away as quietly as he could.
Of course, considering his flesh was rotting off his body, it was more than likely he'd be smelled moving about before he was seen or heard.
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:02 am
"Oh, I'm sorry," said Virgo, who sounded like she really was. She looked a little bemused. Maybe the Captain was getting married? Married ladies called themselves "Mrs.," didn't they? Well, Virgo'd always called her teachers and elders Mrs., anyway... This was confusing. "Congratulations on your engagement?"
She glanced at Grayson, her pity evident on her features. Virgo knew everyone, even if they didn't talk; it had come in useful when she and the Princess had met the Captain the first time. Being a social butterfly was turning out to be quite a good thing. You know, except when you approached people who had attacked you before and struck up a conversation. "Um, I don't know. Grayson kind of looks like he doesn't want to play, Miss Captain." Of course he didn't, he was sneaking off! She didn't know that she would want to have to obey all of Miss Captain Nealite's orders, either. "What were you playing, anyway?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:13 pm
"Hm, Grayson?"
She eyed the retreating zombie and shook her head. "Not so fast, darling, you can stop right there."
Turning back towards the senshi, her arms folded across her chest, her smirk slowly lowering into a frown. Was this chick for real? She was staring into the face of the Negaverse agent who had tried to have her killed and now she was just standing in front of Nea as though they were friends having a casual conversation? Jesus Christ, these Zodiacs were nuts.
Eyes wandered back to the youma student, and then returned to Virgo.
"I was just taking Grayson here out for a walk.... but you look as though you could use some exercise too, Virgo darling."
One hand rose and tapped the side of her cheek, the frown growing into a large grin. "Oh, I know! Prom's coming up, isn't it? Why don't you two practice for it! Grayson, dear, go dance with our senshi friend!"
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:17 pm
Though it took a lot to irritate Grayson, he could admit to being mildly annoyed by the fact that the skirted girl had drawn attention to his sneaking away. Fleetingly, it showed in his face, though only in the tugging of his eyebrows to a frown, but almost as soon as it appeared, it smoothed away. He probably wouldn't have made it away anyhow, so there was no reason to get worked up, right? The zombie queen didn't seem too keen on letting him wander off.
Feet halting abruptly, he swayed forward, nearly losing his balance in the process. "Okay."
What else could he do, really? If she said jump, he jumped. He didn't even get to ask how high. It was a little depressing, especially when he considered that jumping might be the least of his worries as far as taking orders was concerned.
Turning apprehensive eyes toward the redheaded woman, he lifted his hands to the sides of his face, cupping them over his cheeks. It seemed like the two had a history, one that he didn't exactly want to get between, whether it was friendly or otherwise. In his experience, women were best left to their own devices unless they expressly asked you to join in on the conversation.
Of course, being asked to dance was probably an invitation - even if there was absolutely no asking involved.
Pivoting, knowing full well that he was going to complete the command whether he wanted to or not, he tried to smile. Maybe a smile would soften his grotesque, mangled appearance? It was worth a shot.
"Sorry. I have to dance with you." Walking toward her, his pace leisurely as always, he added, "It's no trouble - you're really cute, you know - but I don't smell very good."
That was Grayson for you. Doing a zombie queen's bidding, but he was more concerned about the trivial factor of getting some of his zombie-slime on the pretty girl before him.
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:41 pm
Oops. It seemed Virgo had a bad habit of revealing to the Captain that she was watching the zombies leave. She winced, and tried to smile apologetically at Grayson. She hadn't meant to sell him out! He knew that, right? She was sorry!
"No, really, I'm okay," she said, but Nealite talked right over her. Prom. The senshi's eyes went a little bit shiny. She was supposed to go to Prom with Avery. Who knew if that would happen anymore, though, or if she'd even get to go to Prom-- Dancing.
She watched Grayson approach, all over caution. If she got bitten again, she wouldn't be able to hide it so well. Actually, if she got bitten again, she'd probably faint and then get eaten and that would suck. Hero would never forgive her. Princess would never forgive her. She skipped back a few steps, saying, "Okay, but can I take off my gloves first? Please?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:34 am
"There'll be no removing of clothing this time," the Captain said with a minor scowl. She remembered the LAST time one of these senshi brats had taken off a piece of clothing, and it had taken nearly a week for her forehead to recover from the bruising!
Watching the girl step back, Nealite laughed, the grin returning. "What's wrong, darling? Grayson here just wants to dance with you... aren't you going to entertain him?"
Without giving her time to respond, however, the next order came swift and demanding. "OH WELL, Grayson, you may as well just eat the rude little thing, if she doesn't want to cooperate. Pity; you two made such an adorable pairing!"
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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 3:05 pm
Grayson paled, if a zombie could pale. To be sure, his skin went slightly more green, and his eyes widened. Not in fear, but more the horror of being told to eat a person. It was something he'd barely managed to avoid - eating a living person, anyway. He'd nibbled on bodies, and he wasn't proud of it, and a few times, he couldn't remember exactly what he'd done or what he'd eaten. Perhaps he had already attacked someone, but considering these two were the first live humans he'd seen yet, he didn't think so.
He hoped not. He didn't want to kill anyone. He'd died so that he wouldn't have to kill anyone.
Despite himself, he raised his arms, his posture that of every flesh-eating zombie from any horror movie he'd never watched, and lunged forward. His eyes screamed no, but he was powerless to resist the zombie queen's words, jaw slackening as he barreled toward the cute girl as fast as he could.
If only they'd just been able to dance.
If only he could do anything but exactly what he was told.
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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 11:12 pm
Her gloves didn't do anything, she just didn't want to get them dirty! And now oh my god she was going to have to hit Grayson. Benny would hunt her down and kill her dead if she hit Grayson. Plus, she knew he didn't want to. She couldn't hurt him if he didn't want to hurt her--
Virgo jumped back, stumbling again; she didn't really have the balance or the coordination (or the time, really) to have the powers of a senshi really figured out yet. "I want to save you," said Virgo to the zombie version of Grayson. "Please forgive me?" She raised one balled-up and immaculately white fist and threw what was possibly the wussiest punch ever seen in the history of mankind, except in certain kinds of bar fights.
Unfortunately, she missed.
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Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:03 am
It was likely the most horrifying thing he had ever done, and that included setting himself on fire when he'd been attempting to convince his parents to let him learn the art of fire spinning. Not because of any harm to himself, but rather the fact that he was being compelled to consume a living being, and she was apologetic about defending herself. Everything in Grayson revolted against the idea of eating live, human flesh, but nothing in zombie Grayson seemed to have a problem with it. That bothered him, but he didn't have time to be bothered.
It was instinct to dodge the punch, though it wasn't particularly well-aimed, and he really had nothing to worry about. Truth be told, he wished he did have some cause for concern - that this girl, whoever she was, would be able to save him as she said she wanted, even if that was something as simple as laying him to rest. After everything, he would welcome it.
He'd come to peace, as much as he could. And then he'd woken up again, and everything was off kilter.
"I forgive you." His teeth gnashed on the ends of the words, and though there was hunger in his voice and in his eyes, there was something else lurking there. Regret, shame, a terribly medley of the two. "Forgive me?"
He lunged at her again, hands raised like claws. Though he still spoke, he didn't raise his voice; even in life, Grayson had very rarely raised his voice. "I don't want to hurt anyone, I'm really sorry."
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Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:28 am
"Of course," she assured him, and this time when she punched him her fist impacted with his nose (it made a hearty crunch sound). She yanked her hand back immediately, flexed the fingers.
A smart senshi would have taken the time to hit him again while he was momentarily stunned. A smarter senshi would have taken the time to hit him again and then probably kick Nealite in the guts and then run. Virgo... well, Virgo was Virgo, and that hint of regret in his eyes just before she punched him caught her, the compassionate look coming back in full force. She stood still just long enough that his nails could rake across the flesh of her bicep. The shock of the pain sent her reeling backwards a few steps as she clapped her hand over the four gashes in her skin. Grayson's nails were much sharper than she had expected them to be; that had really hurt.
She whimpered as she carefully peeled her hand away. There was a smear of blood on her hand; she spread her fingers. The color drained from her face, her lips went white as her eyes widened. She was shaking, gasping for air as if she was going to be sick.
Oh god oh god oh god, thought Virgo, still standing in place. Still staring at her bloodied hand.
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