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 Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 9:37 pm
[Takes place before Swimming through the Milkyway]
With Delilah busy for the morning, Paige had practically free reign of the grounds yet again, but with her curiosity now unbridled thanks to her new friend, she couldn't help but explore more. With starry eyes widening as she felt something tug at her, a force that she couldn't quite place. Wandering down a hallway, she soon found herself at a door that was thoroughly locked. Frowning, she looked at each lock and tilted her head a bit. It was a single lock, a sturdy deadbolt. Squinting at it, she placed her hand at it and focused, causing a small portal to be created directly in its spot, causing the main section of the deadbolt to clatter to the floor [Spatial Manipulation - Portal Creation].
Opening the door with now relative ease, Paige could feel the sensation a little better now. Looking around, her eyes fell onto a large tube with a body inside. Lifeless. Placing her tiny hands on the outside of the tube, she frowned slightly. No energy and no way to transfer energy into her.
'...I... am sorry..'
The voice was quiet, a soft whisper, one she could barely hear, but it was there. Turning to look around, Paige felt a shiver down her spine as if someone had run a hand down her back, but there was no one. Looking around, her curiosity quickly got the best of her again, leaving the woman in the tube alone - maybe she could ask her mother about it. Maybe. Walking around the lab, she eventually came across a large box - one that clearly had magical wards to prevent whatever was in it from opening it from the inside. Kneeling down, Paige put her hands on the box, feeling a faint energy coming from it.
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:36 pm
Ripley woke up, and the seals and wards quickly went to work. First sapping away their strength, they opened their mouth to scream but no sound came out. Then just as quickly they started to lose their grasp on consciousness.
They woke up. While inside of the box was dark and silent, designed to cut off any sensory stimulation - they could still taste the outside world, crowded, alive, a full range of people supplied a full range of emotions to feed off of. Ripley was impossibly hungry, but they were able to survive because of their powers. "Could I even die like this?" They wondered if it had been days, weeks, or even months as they filled their mouth with something happy, tasting like ripe oranges, before going back under.
They woke up. It was different now. It must have been months. Why had they been put into this box? Was it punishment? they couldn't remember. Something was different. It was quiet and cold, with only the faintest elements of glamour. They tried to scream, were they trying to starve them? Ripley fell asleep.
They woke up. They stopped trying to keep track of how much time had past. It was impossible to even guess. Their breathing slowed, they filled their mouth with dust, and the faintest traces of emotion available. They tried to dream, they tried to cry, they tried to die, they couldn't.
Something sweet met their tastes, and they stirred, subconsciously. Some ... curious, child-like, wonder, something they hadn't tasted in longer then they could remember, like plums, not that they could remember what plums were.
Ripley woke up, collecting strength they didn't have for the brief moment they could to whisper "...please." it didn't matter please what, death would be just as welcome as any other outcome that wasn't continuing to be in this hell.
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:47 pm
Struggling to get the lid of the box up and off, Paige finally got it up just enough to at least see what was inside of the large container. Seeing that it was a doll, or something doll like, she tilted her head and leaned in a little closer to get a better look at what she was seeing, that was until she heard the please. A hint of fear, but more curiosity. Was this doll alive? Was this a meta they were alive? Moving to stand up, she moved the lid of the box off more, revealing more of the doll. It was times like these that Paige wish she could speak, a little bit of regret twinging in her as she looked over the possibly alive person, an interesting opposite to the dead body in the tube.
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:13 pm
Fear, spice, but still also the plum curiosity, a delicious mixture especially after the untold, impossible time surviving off of rot and dust. Ripley didn't have time to breathe it in though, as their breath was bated on what would happen, 'please don't run away' they screamed inside of their own head.
Of all of the moments spent in their own personal hell, this was the one that felt like eternity. Ripleys mind raced as they wondered if this was even real? could this be another trick? Ripley opened their eyes, too dehydrated to cry and then a crack appeared on the corner of the box.
As dim light flooded the inside of the box it was almost as if someone had turned on a switch as they felt their senses returning to them, with a clarity they hadn't had in ... years. It finally set in to them it had been years that they existed within that box.
They moved their fingers at first, joints popping at their first activity, then working their way down to their wrist, and then arm, fingers taking a gentle grasp on the corner of the lid. Their skin pale, too pale to be of flesh, exposed to the outside air. Ripley breathed in that spiced plum to regain their strength, garnished with ... something salty, regret? Panic set in, desperately they removed the box lid and forced themselves to sit up - a sheet of loose grey fabric draping over their porcelain body as they were met with ... a child?
Ripley stared at this small creature, pink and teal with stars in their eyes. Ripley's features softened into a smile that widened with the recognition this wasn't one of their captors. "Thank you" their voice was still barely much more then a whisper, but it was all they could manage.
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:28 pm
As the doll moved on their own, Paige took a couple quick steps back as her eyes went wide. Curiosity still at the forefront soon mixed with fear, joy and awe, even. Bowing ever so slightly, the small toddler kept her eyes locked onto the strange being. They were so much different than anyone they had interacted with before, even those in the Renegades - where she had met a variety of people. She wanted to tell the stranger that they were welcome, but she didn't have her notebook with her, that, and she wasn't sure if this being could sign. But, why not try it? Moira surprised her with knowing how to sign.
#You are welcome.# she signed slowly, using a mixture of words and signing a word a letter at a time.
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:42 pm
Ripley wanted to scream in delight, so many vibrant flavors of emotion here. Even if it wasn't a large source of glamour, it was a feast compared to ... however long they had been in that box. They watched the toddler slowly sign, which brought back memories from the back of their mind. They closed their deep red eyes and breathed in the surroundings, opening eyes again only when they felt confident that their fingers remembered the positions. #are you safe?#
It had dawned on them, that they were still in this accused room, even if it was quiet now, they remembered what had happened, what had been done to them, what they had to do to themselves.
Ripley gathered their strength and stood ... up? oh ... their body had changed, mostly grown. This was weird, and is going to take some getting used to. Uneasily they stood on their own two jointed feet, putting a hand against the wall to help keep themselves steady.
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 11:54 pm
Letting out a strange sound of excitement when the dolls signed back, Paige clapped a couple times before signing again, her small hands slower than her parents when it came to the hand motions, but she was definitely fluent in it. #Yes I am safe. I am safe now where I am. This place is safe! I have friends and a mother and a father - oh but father is not here. Do you want to be my friend?# As she tried to sign in her excitement, she had to pause as she felt herself trying to move as fast as her mind was going, quite clearly excited to see someone that she could befriend.
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:05 am
Ripley stared at this small, literally star-eyed child, and then a warm smile again reached their lips. This child by all accounts had been their savior from that hell, they were alive again, they felt alive again, this ... not even child, toddler, had given them all of that and what they wanted in return was friendship? They would cry if they were able to, instead they signed at a much, much slower and less elegant pace #I would be happy to be#
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:15 am
A wide, strange sharp-toothed grin spread across her face before she quickly hid her mouth behind her small hands, though it was a bit late as it was quite noticeable. Looking around, she realized that she had already explored quite a bit of the lab, then she looked back to the doll. #Do you want to come with me up to my room? It is not too far away.# she asked, her hand motions slower this time, as if trying to get across that it was a question, as if mimicking the tone of voice she normally heard people using.
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:41 am
A sense of unease came to Ripley, becoming distant if only for a moment. Registering what this child must be, like they are, and their mannerisms, while something that wouldn't be uncommon for a child ... they weren't a child, they were too small to be a child. The corners of Ripley's face sank, but then they watched how excited the star-child had become, and the smile returned if with a new desire to protect them.
Ripley secured the fabric around themselves so it wouldn't fall in whatever movement they would make, before signing #Yes,# and pausing to try to remember the signs #Please ... lead the way.#
They took a uneasy step, eager to leave this lab behind them and never wanting to return - when the absurdity of the moment caught up with them and they let out a small, dry laugh. Signing out the individual letters of their name. #My name is Ripley, what is yours?#
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 2:20 pm
Paige waited with excitement for the older meta to answer her, letting out another sound of excitement when the suggested was accepted. Moving to lead them away and out of the lab, she stopped when she heard the other laugh, causing her to quickly turn and tilt her head a little curiously at her, but with a little bit of hesitation. Seeing the signing of individual letters, she nodded after each one, smiling a little bit and repeating the letters so she could have them seemingly memorized before she bowed deeply, her hair, which had been done up in a cute little fishtail braid, swung to the side and ended up revealing a rather deep mark along her neck. Standing back up, she started to sign once more.
#I am Paige! It is nice to meet you, Ripley# the second half was clearly out of habit, one that she had many habits that would clearly take some time to die hard. Turning around, she glanced back, smiling happily, and waved Ripley forward in a 'follow me' fashion, leading her out of the lab and slowly through the main building.
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 3:14 pm
Ripley observed Paige, not wanting to let on about the concern over their mannerisms and that deep mark along their neck only raised more questions. Still, Ripley took to a smile, and took another step forward.
They stepped out from the lab and looked at the empty halls, everything was quiet and empty. Ripley had thought they were moved before when everything went silent, but now could see that everyone else had left. Why though?
They didn't have much time to consider this, their leg gave out from under them, and they pressed the entirety of their weight against the wall to avoid crashing entirely. It didn't hurt, nothing hurt, but their body just couldn't function properly in the state of neglect it was in. They took in a small breath of air, picking themselves back up and continuing after the space-child, being filled with a deep sense of relief once they had left the labs behind.
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 3:39 pm
Leading Ripley through the corridors, the small child was seemingly humming a strange tune to herself, that was until she heard the footsteps of her new friend suddenly stop. Quickly turning around, her starry eyes going wide as she watched the doll-like meta struggle to stay up. Frowning, Paige rushed back to them and reached up, on her tiptoes, to touch one of Ripley's hands - whichever was closest. Looking around, she realized that there was a power outlet and touched the plastic casing around it - knowing that she shouldn't - and couldn't - actually touch the outlet its self. As she did so, a strange energy could be felt passing through the two, her hand glowing similar to her hair [Energy Manipulation - Energy Transferal (5HP)] before she looked up at her new friend and smiled. Taking a moment, she went to sign # Does that help?#
----
Power used: Energy Transferal
** Energy Used: Electrical Energy
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:15 pm
Ripley felt Paige touch their hand, barely, their flesh was not very flesh like at all - cold and hard to the touch, with only the slightest amount of give. They felt the spark of energy flow up through their arm, and dissipating throughout their body.
To be honest, Ripley had no idea if it was helping or not - however, uneasily, they shifted weight off the wall and onto their own two legs, signing #Yes, very much, thank you.# with a big smile for Paige before putting a hand back on the wall to assist with balance.
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:23 pm
Smiling a bit more, she bowed her head a bit before slowly and carefully leading Ripley through the main building. Eventually, after almost fifteen minutes as she was taking the long way to make sure that her new friend had enough walls to lean on, Paige opened the door to her room. It was generally bland, aside from a handful of space-based items and a closet full of a variety of clothing, all of the clearly hand made by someone with a lot of love for Paige. # This is my room!# she signed quickly as she lead Ripley inside, smiling wide, her teeth a variety of shark teeth of varying lengths and types.
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