|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:26 pm
Malodore had not gone along with the Horsemen and faced the Hunters. Indeed, the plague doctor currently had no idea such a thing had even transpired. Instead, it was quite busy, having settled itself in the Hob Laboratory along with a few unfortunate and wailing gnome 'specimens'.
Not that they knew they were specimens, of course. The gnomes had come to it wailing about needing a cure, and the plague doctor was only too happy to provide... after a thorough examination and some experimentation, of course. Such a fascinating transfiguration, physically and psychologically! Especially psychologically.
"Do you feel the anatomical gain is worth the anatomical loss?" it asked a formerly-male gnome, who was alternating between poking at her chest in a fascinated fashion and giving her trousers horrified looks. The gnome looked thoughtful for a moment, opened her mouth, closed it again...
"... I see." Malodore wrote down 'noncommittal response, possible cognitive freeze' on its notes and moved on down the line of confused, pointy-hatted figures perched on the lab table.
Bliss.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:41 pm
 The mere idea that there is a difference between anatomical gain and loss in this instance is preposterous. It indicates that this is not an equivalent exchange.
The low, dangerous, male voice murmured quietly into Malodore's mind as he leaned against the doorframe of the Laboratory, arms crossed against his chest, looking surly and apathetic. Andeon - or at least, at first glance it certainly looked like Andeon, in full battle gear no less - watched Malodore with a gentle, but distant gaze as it worked, and forced down a pleasant expression in favor of preferred apathy. There was no reason for the mindflayer to be at the door watching the plague doctor, since they had yet to have had a single real conversation since the first day he'd entered the school. So it made no sense for him to be there.
And yet, to anyone who knew the current situation the school was under, it made perfect sense.
Crystal wings were folded in behind the tall mindflayer, but they were still, very obviously, there.
You're lucky, darling. 'Andeon' pushed himself off the doorframe, moved to stand behind the plague doctor, and put his chin on Malodore's shoulder. I believe there was quite the disturbance outside, today. We managed to avoid it. I believe this is in our favor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:58 pm
Had Riley merely entered the room without speaking, Malodore might have been quite badly startled indeed - but it knew the flavor of her mental touch, and a mere change of gender was utterly irrelevant to that. It tilted its head to one side as the mindflayer entered the room. "I like your usual outfit much, much better, mia cara. For all that you are the same species, you and Andeon are very different creatures - especially when it comes to fashion sense."
... if Malodore thought it had the high ground on ANYONE in fashion sense, that probably meant said person had very low standing indeed.
It brought one hand up to gently tousle her tentacles, half-closing its eyes, fascinated by the differences in contact - there were no breasts pressing against its back and crowding its wings, for one thing. "I see one disturbance, at least, did not leave you untouched."
It wasn't entirely sure how it felt about that, to be honest. Gender was largely a social construct to plague doctors, but the fact that Riley looked so much like Andeon was kind of unsettling.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:19 pm
A decisively not male sound escaped Riley's mind for a moment when Malodore ran its hand through 'his' tentacles. His body turned to jelly behind it, and he purred like a content kitten.
Andy wears the armor of his station. In fact, if I wasn't such a stubborn, willful creature, I would always be wearing my council robes. He chuckled gently, and rubbed his face against the side of Malodore's cheek. But I clearly am quite stubborn and willful. I enjoy clothing with a touch more personal nature. It is a sin to even say such a thing. It was clear, by the pleased and vaguely wicked tone underlying his words, that he enjoyed sinning very much.
Now, tell me what have you learned of our current predicament. Has this specimen offered forth any clue as to why I currently have been given yet another appendage? And more importantly, does it look permanent?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:22 pm
"Another... another appendage?" Malodore blinked, then looked thoughtful. " I was under the impression that organ was sourced in your tentacle structure. Is it not so for male illithids? You are strange creatures, indeed..."
It was evident that the contemplation of anatomical change had thoroughly distracted it from Riley's gentle touches. Ah, well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:37 pm
My male sexual organs are located in the tentacle structure. Out of necessity. His are not. And look at you, judging us strange based on our anatomical structure! 'He' teased it, hands reaching out to tickle along Malodore's sides with gentle clawed touches. Being a male made Riley strangely fiesty, and a touch more aggressive. You have ignored my question completely! Perhaps you are disinterested in me, now that I have changed appearance. I know how much it means to you.
The expression on his face stretched into something that clearly would have been a toothy, feral grin, if it could have been.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:48 pm
"Then... your female anatomical organs are housed in your tentacles now?" Malodore paused for a long moment as it attempted to play pin-the-organ-on-the-tentacle. Mentally speaking.
Then it caught up with what else Riley had been saying. "Of course I am interested in you, mia cara. And I am also interested in the science of you." It opened its beak in a smile, feeling kind of proud of that last line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:09 pm
Riley's head bent back unnecessarily, just forced reaction to the thought of the bellow of a laugh that left him. When she straightened up again, her eyes were sparkling with laughter. Actually, sweet, gentle Malodore, Andeon does not have female sexual organs. He is of a single gender - quite sad, in fact. Most males are. Although I do hope, one day, someone asks him where his female anatomy is. And I hope I am there to see it. I need a good laugh, lately.
Riley slid his arms around Malodore's waist, and pulled it close against it's chest. I am glad you are interested in the science of me. I should hope that one day, when I am back to my old self, you feel intrigued enough to do a full physical and get to know all of me very intimately. I welcome it.
No, really. Being a male made Riley feisty.
His hands clutched just slightly against the fabric of its robes, and his head turned away, suddenly focused on some unseen or unheard thing across the room. He'd long gotten past the idea of asking if someone heard the things he did, lately, so he remained silent despite the sudden turn, and change in attitude. He returned to focus on Malodore, the attempt to remain neutral and apathetic somewhat failing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:15 pm
Malodore's head turned just after Riley's, as it picked up on the flicker of both movement and thought. "While I cherish the thought of such thorough examination... are you well? Have there been mental effects? The gnomes seemed rather unstable. Even for them, I mean..."
As if on cue, one of the gnomes flopped over on his (her?) side, still frozen in that cycle of 'new anatomy ooh! old anatomy waaah!'.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:31 pm
I'm fine. His tone was suddenly clipped, far moreso than Riley had ever used with Malodore, and he pulled away and let his hands fall to his sides. This abnormality is purely physical. My mind is as sharp and - there was a pause, a very stern expression, and he moved on as if nothing had happened - quick as it has ever been.
Riley's eyes dropped to the gnome on the cot closest to him, and he reached out to poke it. Tell me now, come. Have you learned anything from them?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:34 pm
Malodore was silent for a moment, but ultimately decided not to broach the subject, though its concern flickered as it turned towards its erstwhile 'subjects'. "Only a little," it admitted, "and that mostly details of mental trauma rather than any particular cause. The overdramatics seem a bit strange to me, but plague doctors are a bit more.... ah, relaxed about such thing than most creatures appear to be. Physically... well, as much as I'd like to take my scalpel to them, none of them seem to be the particularly insulting variety of gnome."
Or, if they were, the gender-reversal had nicely shorted out their brains and left them with no material to exploit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:50 pm
You are a sweeter creature than I. Their current temperament would not have stopped me from getting to know them better. Riley's claws curled threateningly, scratching the side of the cot nearest the gnome's face, if only to see and feel the twinge of fear it created. But if these strange effects have made them suffer, even a little bit, I will gladly take pleasure in that knowledge.
He lifted his hand, and moved it forward to reach out for Malodore again, but his head twitched and a hiss escaped him before he could hide it. It was inevitable that his tolerance for the voices in his head would not last long. Have some of your specimen escaped? I keep hearing something in the corner, over there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:40 am
"Escaped?" Malodore tilted its head to one side. "I am not, technically, holding them captive. They can depart at any time." It nodded at the gnomes in a meaningful way, and got only a few brief responses. Most of them seemed too confused, traumatized, or... uh... pleased... to really care what the plague doctor was doing.
And, truly, it is not... their temperament that stops me, Malodore added, privately. It had a lovely mental image of what it would love to do, a proper and complete examination, but in Malodore's mind Hellma's gaze was ever-watchful. It wasn't sure if students abusing gnomes would be taken quite so cavalierly as when staff did the same.
Still, it leaned towards the corner in question, craning its neck slightly. "I... is there something there?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 3:43 pm
Malodore's proper examination methods made Riley feel warm and fuzzy inside. He was effectively distracted from the whispers that plagued him, and sighed in content for that one moment, reaching out to brush his hand down Malodore's shoulder. Such lovely thoughts. He purred quietly. One day.
Mention of the corner brough him back to reality, unfortunately, and the temporary reprieve ended. I don't know. Riley growled, his hands diving into his tentacles and holding his head as if it hurt. I don't know. I can't tell what I'm hearing, anymore. I think I hear something, but then I'll look, and..
He walked over to the dark corner, and kicked around the empty space with the toe of his boot. Nothing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 2:08 pm
"You can't tell what you're hearing?" Malodore repeated, concern creeping into its tone. The head-clutching gesture only increased its worry, but it tried not to let that slip out, as best it could. Riley had a distressing tendency to close up when she... he... whichever... thought she was being a worry to anyone. "Hearing with your ears, or with your mind?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
