The ride had been a silent one, and Ivy refused to look at Zel as they drove up the long road that led to Midnight's black gates. She was absolutely enraged about this entire situation, this whole stupid ordeal. Who the hell was Ricky to demand she sell her only pet at the time? She growled inwardly. This stupid Rajar had better be worth it, she thought angrily to herself.
When they arrived, she knocked her driver out of the way as she kicked her door open. "Hurry up," she snapped at Zel, not even looking back as they approached the doors. She was going to sell this animal to the first person she saw; she didn't even care who, at that point.
Fortunate for Zel, perhaps, was the form of Alisoun gliding through the lobby as Ivy entered.
The ride had been rather horrible. Zel had sat still and stared at her shoes the entire time while anger buzzed around her, almost a physical force.
When they got there Ivy slammed open the door and then snarled at the shifter to hurry up, though she had been grabbing her small bag even while she did it. She looked rather downcast as she climbed out of the car. She didn't like it when people were mad at her, and she'd been trying so hard!
She followed behind Ivy, still looking down, being very careful to keep the right amount of distance, trying to be as quiet as she could (and that was very quiet). So here they were. What now?
Alisoun was on her own. Cynthia had gone to find herself a pet, and Alisoun had excused herself from Ian in favor of doing a little more exploring of the new Midnight. Philip was in her rooms hanging up clothes and hating himself for his blunder. It made Alisoun smile. Her brother's jealousy didn't bother her; it had just been an excuse to patronize him for fun. But she had been serious about getting another Pet. Philip was loyal and obedient, but that seriousness of his could get dull. Alisoun wanted a Pet that was exciting, entertaining. Something she could play with like a toy.
The Lobby door crashed open, drawing Alisoun's attention back to it. She entered to find a female vampire striding angrily inside. A little shifter followed her.
"Good afternoon," she greeted the other vampire, as though the other's eyes weren't shooting angry sparks. "What brings you to Midnight?"
The petite Japanese vampire's entire demeanor changed, and she shifted as she stepped, angry stomps becoming graceful strides. Midnight perhaps commanded some degree of control from her, at least until she was behind closed doors, anyways.
"I'm looking to sell my Pet. I figured this would be the perfect place for her," she said. She snapped her fingers, no doubt Zel ran right to the spot on the floor where she'd pointed for her to stand.
"She's young, but extremely obediant. She is very careful to do what you say, although sometimes I believe she gets a little too excited and that is when, of course, she will step out of her bounds; all in all she is a fine Pet. Also -- " she paused.
"Zel. Shift."
As the girl rendered herself a small white fox, Ivy raised a brow to Alisoun. "I had a hard time finding one who wasn't obstinant and in need of severe training. You don't know of anyone who would be interested in taking her off my hands, do you?" she purred. She had a suspiscion the woman herself may have enjoyed the fox. The well-trained pets did well as little 'toy' pets, Ivy had to agree, there.
Alisoun laughed inside; was this what was meant by Fate? Here she was, looking for a Pet, and the perfect little toy was dropped right in her lap. She listened attentively to the woman's description (while carefully NOT giving any visual indication as to what she thought of the other vampire's fashion sense) and nodded noncommittaly. Her eyes were drawn to Zel as the fox shifted, and the spark of interest showed in her face.
She looked at the vampire. "May I?" At Ivy's consent,* Alisoun went to the little fox and crouched down beside her. "Hello, sweetie." Her hand was held out before Zel to sniff. "My, aren't you a lovely one," she said gently. Alisoun had practice obtaining the trust of small animals.
((*Angie, let me know if the powerplaying isn't okay, and I'll edit.))
"By all means," she said, stepping to the side. "I'm going to pop off for a moment and have a chat with someone. Zel, you be on your best behaviour for this nice lady," Ivy said.
She left the woman to become acquainted with the fox at that.
~~
Gerp, short post, LOL
Ah, now Ivy didn't have to tell Zel that. She already liked Alisoun, and she showed it by delicatly sniffing at the hand that was held out to her, and then licking at it and nuzzling under. She wanted to be petted, though if the vampire didn't want to pet her... well, that was all right too. It would be a little dissapointing, though.
She yipped softly up at the vampire and looked up at her with large eyes, one blue and one green. Pet? Please?
The smile on Alisoun's face could not have been more tender. She made a small sound of happiness at the lick and cuddle, to let the fox know she was welcome in her affection and to encourage more of it.
The bumping of the little white head beneath Alisoun's fingers sent a clear message, which she obliged. She had never felt fur so soft or fine. It was like furry silk, or velvet. And those eyes; what pretty, unique eyes. Alisoun scratched Zel's ears for a bit before running her hand all the way down the length of the fox's body, including the tail. Then her hand went right back to the head. No funny stuff, only one hand, no sudden movements. Little animals trusted you if they thought they could predict what you would do. The little fox would not trust Alisoun if her first impression of the vampire was of hands that grabbed her.
Everything about this shifter was perfect. How lucky Alisoun was to have been here at this time! Now all she had to do was convince the shifter that going with Alisoun was what she wanted more than anything in the world.
"You have beautiful eyes," she told the fox, still smiling that gentle smile. "And I've never felt such soft fur. You must take very good care of yourself." She rubbed Zel under the chin. "I would love to take you home with me..." A flicker of saddness. "But I'm not sure if I can."
Zel wouldn't take much convincing, really. She already liked the wonderful, kind lady who was petting her and talking to her and telling her she had pretty eyes. At the mention that Alisoun might not be able to take Zel home, her tail and ears drooped and she looked down.
But still, if that wasn't what she wanted....
Then again, she'd only said that she wasn't sure that she could. That wasn't a definate no. Zel looked up at her with big soulful eyes, and then took a few steps back before shifting again. "Why?" she asked, looking almost sad and almost hopeful at the same time. "Is there something I could do?"
By playing right into Alisoun's hands, Zel was setting herself up to be liked by the vampire even more. Alisoun put a hand to her mouth. "Well, it's complicated." A delicate sigh. "I have another Pet, you see, and he gets very... jealous. I'm afraid he wouldn't be nice to you..." If Philip didn't like Zel, Alisoun would put him in the dungeons for a month and cut off all contact. What he thought didn't matter one way or the other.
Alisoun pretended to consider Zel very carefully. "You're such a sweet girl, and I think you could get along with anyone... But you shouldn't have to put up with something like that, it wouldn't be at all fair." A pause. "Do you want to come home with me?"
((Gah. Didn't think that through. Lame. ;) ))
Zel blinked up at Alisoun, confused and innocent. "But... but shouldn't he want what you want?" That was what she was supposed to do, anyway. Maybe it was different for this lady's other pet?
She looked down at her hands and absently twisted the tip of one of her fingers as she thought about it. That must be it, she decided. No need to assume that the rules for her would apply elsewhere, after all.
"Do you want to come home with me?"
Zel looked back up with her big, odd eyes. "Yes, Milady," she said with a smile, and then hesitated. "If you want me to. If you don't then... well, I hope you find something that you do like."
"But... but shouldn't he want what you want?"
For a moment, Alisoun's smile was mysterious. "My Pet is... special." Zel as she was would be perfectly fine. There was nothing wrong with a pet whose only goal in life was to be an extension of her Mistress. Alisoun allowed Philip his own little petty angers and jealousies in order to use them against him, such as she had in the hallway earlier with Cynthia and Ian. Buying Zel would stir his silly feelings of jealousy. Although Alisoun would never allow him to hurt another Pet of hers, and Philip knew it, it didn't mean she wouldn't torture him by keeping another Pet around.
Her attention returned fully to Zel. She smiled at the shifter's eagerness to please. "I want you to come home with me. Now I'm going to go talk to your Mistress about letting you do just that. I hope you'll wait for me right here until I get back?"
Ah, it was as she'd thought, then. He did have different rules then Zel did. She nodded to herself. Still, that was no reason that she couldn't try to react as the lady would react. She still needed to work at that, but she was getting better, she really was!
Zel nodded at the request. "Of course! Thank you, milady!"
Right around then Ivy came back into the Lobby, on the phone with Ricky. She was speaking in Japanese, and fast - so fast it almost sounded like nonsense more than anything else. She said something a few times in a row, and then shouted it (hold on was what it was), lowering the phone.
"What do you think?" she asked. "Does she please you?" Ivy tilted her head. She inwardly hoped that Alisoun treated Zel well, but she'd never say it, and even the mere thought of it angered her. She just wanted to be rid of that stupid fox so she could get the Rajar, and then she'd be happy again.
Her idiot brother had really wound her up this time. If the Rajar wasn't everything he'd promised, she'd sell them both into Midnight.
Even Ivy's language was annoying. Alisoun waited politely for her to finish, then inquire as to what Alisoun thought of the fox.
"She pleases me very much," Alisoun replied. "What is her price?" Even when money was not an issue, Agni had impressed upon her the importance of haggling every last penny out of a deal that she could. Wasting what you had meant you ended up with less, and before long what you had was nothing. Alisoun refused to be a pauper vampire. She had not lived as a pauper since the end of the Black Plague, and she would not start now.
Ivy stared at her for a moment, and then just rolled her eyes.
"If I never have to see that mongrel again, you can just have her," she said finally, choosing to look at Alisoun and not even once at the small fox-girl. She didn't even wait for Alisoun's response, she just headed for the door.
"This had better be worth it, you pathetic excuse for a brother," she snapped into the phone. She wanted her Rajar, and she wanted it now.
Ivy was never described as unspoiled, that was certain. With that being her last words Zel would ever hear, she walked back out the door of Midnight.
~~~
And Ivy's done.
Zel took a step back, and looked hurt. "I am not a mongrel," she said softly, and then repeated herself more loudly. She almost wanted to cry - it shouldn't be so bad, really, and she shouldn't care so much, but... Ivy had just called her worthless. She wasn't worthless, she wasn't, and she always did try!
She looked at the new vampire, the one whom Ivy had just given her to, and wondered if the lady, the kind lady who had pet her and acted so nice, would even want her now. She wanted to touch her, to hold her hand like a child, but she wasn't sure if that would be a good thing. She wasn't sure if she would even want her anymore.
She looked back down at the floor.
Alisoun blinked, having honestly never met someone who would simply give a pet away. Especially one as obedient and adorable as Zel. Alisoun smiled and nodded politely as Ivy left, dismissing the other vampire as badly dressed, witless, and unintelligent. No matter. The woman was gone, leaving Alisoun a Pet richer than she had been five minutes ago. Ivy's desertion of Zel may have been quick and done with little thought, but Alisoun would never have purchased Zel if she did not think it fully worth her while. Alisoun rarely did things on a whim. Zel had just happened to be there, and be perfect.
Speaking of whom. The little fox was mumbling to herself and looking near tears. Alisoun put on a worried expression and went to her, kneeling beside her and looking deeply concerned. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" She searched the shifter's mind, no longer holding back now that Zel was officially hers. Ah, so Ivy's decision to get rid of her had been without warning and swift. Alisoun didn't care; even if Zel had been attached to the other vampire, it was Alisoun's affections she desperately wanted right now. Therefore, Alisoun stroked her hair and said, "Of course you're not a mongrel. You're a beautiful creature, and a lovely girl. Don't cry, I don't want you to be sad. A girl as pretty as you should never be sad."
It wasn't particularly that Zel had been attached to the other vampire - she had liked her, and Ivy had been kind to her, but she had screamed and broken enough within the last few hours to more or less shatter the trust that Zel had put in her. No, it was more the fact that she'd just called Zel worhtless, and now she was worried that Alisoun wouldn't want her anymore and she wanted her to want her - she was so nice, and so beautiful, and she had pet the little fox and told her that her eyes were pretty.
Alisoun did the right thing, coming up to her and stroking her hair, calling her 'sweetheart.' Zel turned around and flung her arms around the vampire, burying her face in her shirt. 'Sweetheart,' that meant that she wasn't worthless, or at least Alisoun didn't think so, and she was agreeing with Zel, saying that she wasn't a mongrel.
More or less, she'd just guarenteed that the fox would love her new Mistress, love her with all her heart.
"Don't cry, I don't want you to be sad. A girl as pretty as you should never be sad."
Zel looked up at Alisoun's face - her big, mismatched eyes shining with unshead tears, then swallowed and nodded. Still, she buried her face once again in the fabric, still clinging to the beautiful vampire. What Ivy thought didn't matter, because her new Mistress didn't think she was worthless, and she was the one whose opinion mattered.
Alisoun smiled at the clinging fox and petted her hair. She had made a good choice buying (or taking in, rather) the little fox. Zel was the sort who didn't need pain or harsh punishments to be molded to love her Mistress. Scattered compliments and mixed sincere and pretended affection would assure Zel's love, and perhaps a staged or real rescue from some situation would assure her devotion and loyalty. Philip, with his jealousy, might unknowingly help with that.
Zel's face was in Alisoun's shirt, but there was no crying. Good. Gently, Alisoun lifted Zel's face to meet hers and smiled, saying, "There's a good girl. How about we leave this dusty room and find you a place of your own?" Alisoun was already planning Zel's room in her mind, a small bedroom somewhere separate with a fox-sized cushion in Alisoun's room for nights when she let Zel sleep with her. It would irritate Philip to see permenant evidence of Zel so close to his sister and Mistress. Alisoun looked forward to his discomfort.
"And some new clothes," she added. "We'll take you out for new clothes." No one could be allowed to say that Alisoun did not take care of her Pets. Free or not, Zel's appearance would reflect on her.
Zel felt cool fingers lifting her face up so that she looked once more into her new Mistress's beautiful blue eyes, smiling eyes.
"There's a good girl. How about we leave this dusty room and find you a place of your own?"
Zel smiled again and nodded a little, still not exactly her usual exuberant self. Still, she was recovering. "Yes, Mistress. Is there anything you'd like me to do right now?"
Alisoun sensed that her Pet's sorrow still had not completely lifted. That was fine. Alisoun was nothing if not patient, as long as her patience wasn't mistaken for leniency. From Zel's inquiry, she doubted very much that was what was happening here.
Dropping her fingers from Zel's chin, she said kindly, "Yes, actually, there is. I would love to see your other form, and carry you home like that." Already she was searching for the minds of slaves who were unoccupied, requesting items to be obtained and brought to her rooms. Zel would have to be fitted for clothes.
Zel nodded and smiled - not fully recovered, but still recovering as quickly as could be expected of anyone. She was still so young, so innocent - in most cases sorrow lingered for one moment, swept away the next.
"Yes, Mistress," she said, and then turned into a fox and briefly rubbed against her ankles affectionatly, almost twining around her feet like a cat. Then she looked up and yipped a little, and smiled a fox smile at her new Mistress.
She was so lucky.
Alisoun smiled at her Pet's adorable antics and picked her up off the floor. She nestled the fox comfortably in her arms and set off towards the halls, taking them away from the Lobby and to the quarters that had been prepared for her and Cynthia. The area was empty; presumably Cynthia had no yet returned with her Pet. Alisoun would take this time to get her Pet acquainted with Alisoun's rooms and expectations.
The most important part of Alisoun's quarters, at least to her, was the parlor. Alisoun had been raised to entertain company, and both Fallon and Agni had, in their own ways, encouraged that habit. It was also a place for Alisoun to spend her time if she didn't want to be in her room. Or if she wanted to play with her Pets without allowing the privilage of being in her private space. Access to Alisoun's room wasn't a right, it was a privilage, one that Zel would learn to earn and one that Philip would now have to compete for. Speaking of whom...
Philip, come to the parlor. I have a new Pet for you to meet.
While they waited for Philip, Alisoun put the fox down on a small sofa and sat beside her. She spoke gently and kindly, as though she were explaining simple house rules and not outlining the confines of Zel's very existance. "This is not where you will sleep, but you may play here, and greet visitors when I ask it of you. There is another Mistress who lives here, also, Mistress Cynthia. You will ask her for permission before going into any of her rooms or touching any of her things." Alisoun pet the fox's ears, smiling fondly at her. "Right now she is with Master Ian, finding a Pet of her own. You will meet them both when they return. I know Cynthia will love you. She might wish to play with you, as well. We will have to find you some toys."
Footsteps.
"Ah, Philip." The middle-aged Pet bloodbond's eyes went from Alisoun to Zel. They betrayed no emotion, the nearly healed wound on Philip's cheek a reminder to be blank, but his gaze didn't leave the fox even when Alisoun went to him. "Zel, this is Philip, the Pet I was telling you about. Please shift back and come say hello." She touched a nail to Philip's wound. "Philip will love you. Won't you, Philip?"
((What other rules would Ali have mentioned? I can edit them in.))
Zel sighed when Alisoun picked her up, then snuggled down in her arms contentedly. Off they went, and though Zel was warm and happy she was sure to pay careful attention to her route, so she would know exactly where her Mistress lived. It wouldn't do either of them any good if she got lost, after all.
Then they were there, and in a parlor, and the blonde vampire was placing Zel on a couch and looking at her like she was about to say something important, so the fox licked her nose and looked up at her Mistress with an attentive air. She listened carefully as Alisoun went through and outlined the rules that she was to live by from now on, carefully storing them away. She didn't want to disapoint her new Mistress, indeed she did not, not when she'd already been so kind.
Footsteps clicked on the marble as a man walked out of the room then stopped, and stared at Zel. She looked at him curiously, cocking her head a little to the side in a rather adorable way as she studied. And then her Mistress was giving her an order, and so she quickly jumped off the couch, shifted back into a girl, then walked up. "Hello," she said with a bright smile. "I'm Zel."
Philip looked down at Zel, passive. He knew what Mistress was doing, it was obvious. She was making him jealous, this time on purpose. In the hallway she had merely sensed his reaction to her words and taken the opportunity he had presented. Now, with this little shifter, she had gone out of her way to bring him pain. Mistress liked pain, more his than her own, but sometimes she would allow her worthless Pet and brother to hurt her back. This Zel could not do that, not the way Philip could. He knew Zel would never be to Mistress what he was, what he had been all these years. Mistress let him keep his soul so he could still love her purely, still hurt purely, so she could keep him around her finger and in pain. Every time he found a way to please her, she found new punishment. Fresh aching, fresh ways to make him bleed. Mistress wouldn't hurt Zel. Zel was here to taunt him, to remind him of everything he couldn't be. He could make Mistress hurt, but he couldn't make her happy. Zel had been bought to make Philip hate himself, and he did.
But Philip was a good Pet. He did not show these feelings. He would not make Mistress upset and greet Zel unkindly. "Hello," he replied. "I am Philip. You are very interesting. I am glad that you are here."
Alisoun laughed inside, at Zel's sweet ignorance and Philip's emotional self-mutilation. She couldn't have planned this better if she'd gone looking for Zel herself. On the outside, she smiled at both of them, as though fooled into thinking the introductions had gone so well. Zel would believe it; Philip would know better. "I'm going to show Zel her room, now," she told the male Pet. "Could you find us some magazines or catalogues of toys for small creatures? Zel is going to help me pick out her own toys herself. Perhaps you will play with her later?"
Zel, naturally, didn't know what was going on in the other person's eyes as she stared up, innocent and smiling. "I am too!" she said brightly, and so utterly sincerely. She meant everything she said, it was obvious. She had no idea of the pain or the torture or the sick, twisted love that lived inside the man, she didn't know that he hated himself or that she was a tool by which he was supposed to do so. And she probably never would know either.
Mistress smiled, and that was all that mattered, that she was pleased. And then she said that she was going to sit down with her, and that Zel herself would be able to pick out toys, and she looked up at the blonde vampire with shining eyes. "Thank you!"
Philip left. Alisoun lead Zel out of the parlor and through another room, this one a far more intimate setting and for keeping Alisoun entertained, not guests. There was a hallway leading off of it, whose branches lead to Alisoun's own room and bedroom, and then further off the smaller rooms belonging to Philip and Zel. Zel's room was intentionally closer to Alisoun than Philip's, but Alisoun doubted the fox would notice or care. It was yet another small thing that only Philip, in his never ending misery, would notice.
"This is where you will sleep and keep your things," Alisoun said as she opened the door, making room for Zel to enter first. She wanted to see the fox's reaction. The slaves were fortunate to have finished it so quickly, as Alisoun would have made failure a thing to regret. There was a Zel-sized bed, an elegant dresser, a closet, bedside table with lamp, and an empty bookshelf. Alisoun would not see her Pets uneducated and unintelligent, although of course she would have to approve of anything they were to read. On the far side of the room was a door leading to Zel's little bathroom. Inside she would find clean towels and gentle shampoos and soaps.
Alisoun watched her Pet survey the room. "This is how a Pet lives," she said. "How you live and care for yourself is a reflection on me, and I will see that you have the best of everything. You must be happy at all times, and want for nothing." Her tone softened, then her smile. "What do you think?"
No, she didn't notice that her room was the closer, all that she was really noticing was how beautiful everything was!
... then again, of course they were. Her Mistress clearly deserved the best. Zel shook her head a little, like she was in fox form and shaking water out of her coat. And then they were at her room. Her room? This? She looked up at her Mistress with wide eyes, and then slowly stepped inside, as though afraid she'd break something if she didn't step lightly enough. It was elegent. When she had lived with Ivy her room had been nice enough, but... any of this was nicer then anything she'd ever had before.
She stood just inside the door and looked around.
"What do you think?"
Zel swung around and hugged her Mistress once again. "Thank you!"
Zel's reception of her room was what Alisoun had been expecting, which pleased her. Good. Zel was to forget whatever life she had lead with Ivy. Ivy may have called her a Pet, but as far as Alisoun was concerned - she had taken a thorough look around Zel's mind - Ivy had treated her no better than a common slave. Making the girl run petty errands, sleep in such inelegant quarters, trail along like a shadow... No. Not any more.
The sudden hug was unexpected, but not unwanted. Alisoun wanted Zel to be comfortable touching her Mistress. Not unreasonably, of course, but Zel was not here to live in fear. She was here to be happy, and have that happy world center on her perfect Mistress.
"I am pleased that you like it," Alisoun replied. "I am going to attend to Philip, now, and I would like you to bath and find some fresh clothes. Once you do, meet me in the parlor. I will have a surprise for you." She tilted her head, still smiling. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mistress," Zel said with a happy smile, and then she backed up and dropped an elegant little curtsy. There, see? She did know how to behave.
Kind of.
She turned and walked back into her room, carefully closing the door behind her, and then made her way softly to the bathroom, where she proceeded to take a simply wonderful bath. The tub was big and the water delightfully warm and everything smelled ever so pretty and... well, it was very nice. And when that was over she wrapped herself in a HUGE towel (or it seemed huge to her, at least) and stepped out delicately, meticulously drying herself as she selected clothing for herself - and that was a bit of an operation right there. Whatever should she wear?
Still, everything finally got done to satisfaction and so she set off for the parlor, wondering what Mistress had meant. Whatever it was must be good - she was Mistress!
Alisoun left her Pet to bathe and dress. In a few days and a few more baths, the scent of Ivy would be completely gone. Alisoun had gotten rid of Zel's old toys, as well, not wanting any reminder of the other vampire in Zel's mind or presence. Everything in Zel's life must revolve around her new, true Mistress. Ivy had simply been a pathetic stand-in.
While Zel got herself clean, Alisoun returned to the parlor and sorted through the catalogues Philip had brought in the meantime. They had the stench of resentment on them, and that made her smile.
Clean scents preceeded Zel entering the parlor. Alisoun looked up from the booklets and examined her Pet's clothes and hair. She had chosen Zel's wardrobe perfectly, as she'd known she would, and she was pleased by how well the colors and the cut of fabric brought out the little girl's hair, skin and mismatched eyes. She smiled at Zel and motioned for her to join her. "I had something brought in for you," she said, held out a small wrapped box. "A welcome home gift, one could say."
Zel paused in the doorway to the room, fidgiting a little as Mistress looked her over. She hoped she'd approve, Zel had been trying hard....
She smiled, and then motioned the girl across the room. Zel smiled back, and came.
"I had something brought in for you. A welcome home gift, one could say."
And at those words the little fox looked up at her Mistress with wide eyes. Something else? For her? But just look at how much she'd already been given! How could it be that she'd earned something else already? Things were so strange here.
"Really?" she asked reverently, slowly reaching out and taking the pretty little box with a kind of awe. There was a ribbon on top, a sparkly ribbon that flashed and caught the light in wonderful ways. "Thank you." She glanced back down again. "Can I open it now?" At the nod from Alisoun, she sat down and unwrapped it with much more care then children normally showed wrapped gifts. She didn't want to ruin the paper, after all, it was so pretty!"
Alisoun could see she would not have to work hard to earn Zel's favor. Despite having demonstrated thoughts and emotions of loyalty to her previous owner, the little fox reacted well to shows of kindness. Alisoun had never had such a devoted pet before. At least, not one this happy. In her recovery period since Fallon, the pets she had taken while under Agni's tutelage had been mirror images of herself or Philip. Tortured, conflicted, scrambling after every crumb of affection thrown their way. Thanks to Agni and Alisoun, Philip had stayed that way, while Alisoun had risen above it and become a Mistress of her own. Still, she had never taken such a Pet as Zel - a toy for simple pleasures and entertainment. This was completely different than Philip, whose only purpose in life was to hate himself for Alisoun's amusement and cater to her more sadistic hobbies. Zel was not the right temperament for such a station; it would destroy her, and the purpose of Alisoun's torture games was not to destroy. She much preferred to see her victim's blood run, and then hear him beg for more.
She watched Zel carefully peel away at the paper down to the box, then open the box just as gently. Inside was a trinket, a ball that could fit in Zel's little palm, or a little fox's delicate mouth. It was a mosaic of two colors, blue and green, to match Zel's eyes.
"Do you like it?" Alisoun asked, her tone deceptively hopeful as if she honestly wasn't sure. "It was only on short notice, though you will certainly have more in the future."
Did she like it? Did she like it? It was BEAUTIFUL! ... and fine, beautiful might not be the most common adjective used to describe a little ball of blue and green, but it WAS!
She took it out of the little box with the same care she'd used in handing the gift from the beginning - this was a presant from Mistress, it deserved to be treated well - and then just looked at it for what seemed a long time. Then she looked back up at her kind, beautiful Mistress, and smiled joyfully, utterly sincerly. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" She practically wiggled, the way a little kid will when they have too much energy and aren't sure what to do with it. Ah well.
Alisoun was pleased with Zel's reaction. She let a small smile touched with relief show on her lips. "You are welcome."
Somewhere, in the place where she had been listening for Cynthia's return, she became aware that the little vampire had returned with a Pet in tow. Good. She didn't doubt that the Pet would soon be brought here to be shown to her, which she wouldn't mind. Cynthia would adore Zel.
"We might have company soon," she informed her Pet. "However, I believe there is enough time for us to play a game with your present before our guests arrive." Alisoun had gleaned from Zel's memories that the fox loved to chase things. There were other things she might have found without asking outright questions, but a Pet's repetative, obedient interaction with its Mistress promoted obedience, and so there was very little reason for Alisoun to pass up an opportunity now. She would teach Zel that speaking with her Mistress was not only an easy task on her part, but rewarding as well.
"The game is this," Alisoun said, maintaining the light and airy smile. "I would like to get to know some things about you, and so I am going to ask you a few questions. Answer, and I shall throw your ball for you. If you do not know the answer, or believe that your answer may be unsatisfactory, tell me. I promise I shall not be angry." The smile deepened. "My only wish is that you feel safe here, and confident in your place at my side. Now, would you like to play?"
Ask her questions? Her Mistress wanted to get to know her better? And, even better, it was a game? Zel would have answered any questions that Alisoun had to the very best of her ability anyway (she was, after all, her Mistress - she certainly deserved that) but.... Mistress was telling her that it would be a game, answers to questions that she would have tried to answer anyway and then a chance to play with her lovely little blue-and-green ball....
"Yes, Mistress!" she chirruped. "Thank you!"
"Wonderful," the vampire smiled. Getting to know Zel wasn't the priority she had in mind. First and foremost, this gave her the chance to identify problems with her new Pet before they surfaced unexpectedly. Also, it was training. Zel already seemed willing to comply with every request Alisoun presented, and she also appeared to be utterly devoted without prompting from her Mistress, but if there was one thing Alisoun had learned in her extended life, it was that an intelligent Mistress never settled for anything, not even apparent perfection. It would be folly to accept Zel's loyalty without testing, and careless to drop the simpering act so soon.
Maybe in a few weeks or months, depending on how well Zel did during that time, Alisoun would show her more demanding side. The side that didn't pay attention to Pets all the time. Zel was, after all, a toy, and Alisoun wouldn't feel like playing at every turn. At those times, Zel would have to amuse herself, either in or out of her Mistress's presence.
Her first question was simple and harmless. But then, wouldn't they all be so? "Let us begin. How old are you?" She held up the ball, poised the throw it when she recieved an answer. Because she would, and it would be the right one.
"I..." Zel said, her expression falling a little. "I'm not sure, Mistress. I think I'm 15." Zel didn't know exactly - she had been raised without knowing. Her first question and already she was disappointing her. But she knew that she'd been born in the spring, if little beyond that - her mother had told her that much.
She wanted to please her, even if it was only mostly the way that she'd been raised - Zel had been part of a fox den for most of her life, after all. But even so, already she was failing....
My, my, first question in and already Zel was stumbling and uncertain! Alisoun didn't mind, because the little fox had given the best answer she could. She had given an answer at all. What Alisoun wouldn't have liked was mumbling or a lie. Zel had done neither, so she was given a smile of approval.
"Then you are 15. I am glad that you gave me your best guess. Very good, Zel!" And with a flick of the wrist, Alisoun sent the little ball flying and tumbling across the floor, sure to draw the attention of a little creature like a fox.
Zel was still rather unhappy about the whole thing - she'd wanted to be able to give a good answer! - until, at least, Alisoun proclaimed that answer to be good anyway. She was so nice! Zel smiled, and Mistress had said that she was 15, so now she even knew how old she was in a way that was better than a guess. She still wished that she knew more - but Zel always had her nose into everything, and Alisoun managed to distract her quite well when she flicked her hand elegantly and sent her toy soaring and bouncing and rolling across the room. And, since it was a game and this was what she was supposed to do, Zel reacted before thinking. She was a fox before she hit the ground and after the little thingie, catching it by jumping when it bounced off the wall. It was quite a leap, and she spent a few moments chewing on it in triumph before trotting back over and giving it back.
Zel liked her fox form - it was small and soft and safe and a bit easier to hide in if she needed to, but Mistress didn't want her in her second form.
She slipped back to being a girl.