Stinging Notes - Piper

[Doctor Nationis]

A soft clicking filled the hall as a black-silver cane hit the ground in rhythm with the boogie's gait. Iugo had grown accustomed to this form of transportation again. Step. Click. Step. Click. The cane given to him by Shaehern was only temporary until he could find one that truly suited his style. Though the raven adorned on top was not nearly as ugly as it could have been. The doctor was just glad that it was a bird and not something worse... like a flower. His glasses were not yet ready, as the remains were to dented and broken to be mended properly. His vision was horrid but he could see enough to avoid too much trouble and recognize beings up close.

Agony hobbled along side it's master, staying quiet. It had felt a mixture of feelings when he saw his master return to the Lab. One was relief because he had just stepped on Loki's tail and climbing any equipment he could find to save his life, initial joy because his master had many values which Agony agreed with and last of all, gloom for having been so close to freedom. Loki, on the other hand, was just relieved this being had returned. he had the keen ability to find the best meat in all of Wonderland. Darion was nothing compared to this man. Loki tread on Iugo's left, nudging a hand to pet him when he forgot to.

He paused at the door of the lounge, a hand near the door knob. Agony moved forward, looking through the keyhole to see what was in there. All three heard the music, Iugo the last of the them. Loki's ears had twitched, but he was too busy enjoying Iugo's attention. Agony had heard it, but his timid nature only made him linger behind his master even more. The piano... Who did he know that could play the piano so well? A slow grin filled his face as he slowly opened the door, silence the key to peering in on a girl he had not seen in so long.

[Piper Wren]

Piper was slightly shaken from her encounter with Naelona and needed some time alone, she has retreated to the sanctuary of the music room to absorb herself into playing the piano for a while. Her healed fingers no longer hurt when she played so she had thrown herself back into it, some days it was one of the only things that kept her grounded. It was pretty much the only thing in her life that had stayed consistent since the loss of her parents, she had always been able to turn to the piano. The melody she was playing was slow and simple, her pale hands ghosting over the keys. Piper closed her eyes and let the notes wash over her, she sang quietly. The lyrics to this held true, had done for a number of years now and her earlier dealing with Elric just reinforced it.

“Child of the wilderness,
Born into Emptiness,
Learn to be Lonely,
Learn to find your way in darkness,
Who will be there for you?
Comfort and care for you?
Learn to be Lonely,
Learn to be your one companion,
Never dreamed out in the world there are arms to hold you,
You’ve always known,
You’re heart is on its own,
So laugh in your loneliness,
Child of the Wilderness,
Learn to be Lonely,
Learn how to love a life that is lived alone,
Learn to be Lonely,
Life can be lived,
Life can be loved,
Alone…’

As she played the last chord and the last sounds of the piano echoed through the room before dying, Piper opened her eyes with a sigh…until she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up and a slow shiver crawl it’s way up her spine. That horrible feeling that you experience when you know you’re being watched, Piper did her best not to show any outward signs of panic or fear, doing her best to keep her breathing even and regular. Slowly she turned to face the door, managing to keep her voice from cracking she called out.

“Who’s there?”

[Doctor Nationis]

The music was painfully pathetic. Self-pity would not ger her far in this world. How had she even survived this long with such an attitude? Iugo's grin grew ten fold when hearing her call out after the notes drifted into silence. He took a step back, away from the light, confirming his hiding spot. Looking down to Agony, he nodded forward. The familiar grinned as he moved into the doorway, poking his green head into view. Loki's tail swished as it watched the scrawny goblin sidle into the room, chittering his own gibberish again. Agony hopped about within the room, the door opening wider. The light fell on... Loki turned, wondering why his friend had not...

Iugo was gone.

Agony had picked up a candle stick on his mad hopping spree, wielding it like a weighty, two-handed weapon. Yes, he clearly recalled what Piper did to him on their first meeting... And now he would have his revenge. With a sharp cry, he charged forward, make-shift weapon held high above his head, ready to give Piper the nastiest bruise she'd ever experience!

Loki turned it's head back to the door, using it's head to push it open further so it could pad in quietly. It watched as Agony made his brave rush attack. Loki forced back the urge to pounce the pitiful being... It really had no use but to be a distraction... Loki laid down by the door, yellow eyes scanning the room. It was a clever ruse. Iugo knew how to manipulate his familiar well. And just as Loki took his third sweep of the wall behind Piper he saw the movement that did not surprise him.

Iugo had poked his head barely through a wall, almost invisible in the dim light. He would wait to move until she had turned her full focus on that little demon rather than the piano. As he thought this, he reached for his pocket in the adjacent room... A frown, stuck in the wall itself, creased his face. It seems that he still was not in the groove of his regular life... His trusty, rusty knife was not on his person! Iugo mentally kicked himself. He had never been without a knife! Not even at a party!

It seems he would need to do this the old fashioned way.

[Piper Wren]

Piper leapt back from the piano at the cry of Agony as he came hurtling towards her with a heavy candlestick and had the sense to kick the piano stool directly at the little bastard. Luckily she was wearing the heavy winter boots that Tristan had given her last year with the heavy soles, although Agony was the least of her worries. Where the little shit went, Iugo was always close by, he didn’t have the guts to go out on his own. So he must have made it out alive at the ball! She had to get out of here and quickly, even with his pet blocking her way out. There had to be something, anything in this room she could use as a weapon! Out of instinct she seized the metal stand that was designed to hold sheet music on the piano, it would have to do. As long as it got her out of here.

There was no way she could go back to Iugo, Piper had already made that fact clear to Naelona and she meant every word of her threat. She may not be the strongest of the humans here, emotionally or physically but she couldn’t stand for this. If she could rob Iugo of the pleasure of doing her in then she would have the last laugh there. In a morbid way that was almost amusing and a little satisfying. And if Agony dodged the piano stool, Piper would take great pleasure in giving him severe concussion with the metal stand!

‘I’ve got get that creature away from the door!’

[Doctor Nationis]

Agony's eyes went from full of rage to full of fear. His charge faltered as he saw the big stool fly at his head. In the end, the goblin stopped dead in his tracks, eyes big. The candle stick dropped from his head, giving him a small bonk before he was obliterated by the seat. A crunch echoed as his nose was shattered under the weight of the blow. Flying backwards, he was even pinned by the damned thing! Writhing in pain one claw went to cover his bloody nose, a sickly, yellow, and pus-like blood dripping from his nostrils and the other claws furiously scratching at the stool to try and make it run away by sheer annoyance.

Loki still lay where he was. He enjoyed the small being's demise. If it had the vocal chords it would have laughed to it's hearts content. Now though, the yellow eyes just watched Piper, seeing her eye him and the door. A low growl emitted deep within his throat and his fangs were bare before her. The perfectly white, sharp teeth that had torn into boogie flesh much tough than Piper's. The tail stopped swishing and wrapped itself behind it's sleek, powerful body. But.. It didn't even bother to stand? To retaliate more than just growl? The beast was smart, so why didn't he make any more attempts to contain the girl?

A pale hand went through Piper's hair, touching her cheek with a gentle caress. "Hello, my sweet, little whore. Did you miss me?" Iugo whispered, grinning from ear to ear as he stood with less than a foot between their bodies. "I am very sorry I have not been able to tend to you lately. I was having trouble with a coma." His face came around to her other side, trapping her between ghostly hand and a vile smile. "But now I can give you my full attention, Piper. Merry Christmas!" Dr. Nationis chuckled quietly and directly into Piper's ear.

Oh, how he had missed this!

[Piper Wren]

Piper stepped back when Loki growled, baring its sharp, white fangs at her although the creature didn’t seem to have any intention of moving. Surely if it was planning to attack it would have done so by now? Then it felt as if something cold and heavy had dropped into the pit of her stomach when a familiar, cold hand made it’s way through her long hair and touched her cheek in a would be gentle caress. Piper froze out of instinct, screwing her eyes tightly shut and her grip on the metal stand tightening so her knuckles stood out stark white. Being touched by Iugo always made her panic, made the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach accelerate. Even now she didn’t know why he always came back to her, why she was his favourite toy…

"Hello, my sweet, little whore. Did you miss me? I am very sorry I have not been able to tend to you lately. I was having trouble with a coma. But now I can give you my full attention, Piper. Merry Christmas!"

Although Piper didn’t open her eyes she managed to speak through gritted teeth, trying to force herself to sound unafraid of Iugo despite the fear coursing through her body. Fear was what he got off on, fear and pain. Piper may not be able to deprive him off the latter but she could put up a fair act about the former. Her voice was steadier and had more conviction than she could have hoped.

“I am not your whore and the day I miss you will be when Hell freezes over.”

[Doctor Nationis]

Loki watched with interest as his friend moved in silently. Loki was impressed by the boogies stealth ability. Most would just charge in, arms flailing and eat the girl right then and there. But this man... He was a lot like Loki. He waited, he pounced. Now, would he play with this victim? Or would he let her go to cry another day? Loki's ears perked up at this thought, tail swishing and lip lowered. Calm and peaceful looking, he continued his observation.

Agony was still doing his thing.

Iugo's smile didn't waver as she talked back, though it was unlike her. Has she grown a backbone since Tristan had gotten a hold of her? That was troublesome... With a second though, Iugo saw it as a challenge. He broke her down once before. He could do it again. The gentle touch turned into a solid grab of her face and hair. She could try to struggle, sure. That would make it more fun. Another chuckle before he spoke again. "Aw, come now, Piper. Winter is almost here. Can you not find it in your heart to miss me a few weeks early?" A long, purple tongue fell out of his mouth and traced up her jaw, cheek, and came close to her eyeball. It retracted with a smack.

"I can taste your fear, Piper. You know what I do. What I do to you," He added, his brown eyes looking down at her fingers. "My, my... Seems I didn't do my job properly." He mentally cursed his bum leg. If he had his other hand at his disposal he could take her warm hand in his cold one. Trace each finger, one by one... "But let us be honest. It wasn't the right atmosphere. We could take a trip to our favorite little spot and try again. You know the one... It's only a short walk from here. We could go today if you like!" Laughing softly, he turned her head away from his face, exposing her fair neck to him.

The boogie was tempted right then and there to take a chunk out of her neck and let her struggle futility for her life as a fountain of blood would pour out. Iugo would dance in it as he watched the life dim in her eyes. But no! That would not do. The boogie sniffed long and deep, running his nose along her neck. "You can't say we never had memories neither of will forget. It hurts that you would be so cruel to not even think about me while I was absent."

[Piper Wren]

Piper gritted her teeth to hold back a cry when Iugo wrenched her hair, she would not give him the satisfaction, she couldn’t, despite her urge to scream and fight she bit her tongue. When Iugo’s tongue trailed from her jaw up to just under her eye she fought the urge to flinch, nausea rising in her. The metal stand she was still gripping onto for dear life was cutting into her palms but she still managed to stay impassive, fighting to keep her breathing slow and regular. If she started to panic it would just make it worse, don’t let it happen. Piper stood her ground but as clear as the night it happened she was hearing her Godfather’s voice in her head, she bit the inside of her cheek by accident and the metallic taste of blood turned to sour whiskey and stale cigarettes.

“What is it, Piper, baby? Not gonna invite me in?”

“Come on, I thought you were going to be nice to me.”

‘No! Don’t think about that! Don’t let it get in…’

"I can taste your fear, Piper. You know what I do. What I do to you…My, my... Seems I didn't do my job properly. But let us be honest. It wasn't the right atmosphere. We could take a trip to our favorite little spot and try again. You know the one... It's only a short walk from here. We could go today if you like!"

When Iugo forced her face away from his to expose the pale skin of her neck she didn’t move, holding back a shudder when she felt his breath on her skin….she focused on breathing, slow, in and out, in and out. Don’t give into the panic, rob the psycho of the satisfaction of pushing her biggest button. Once again she kept her voice even with a hint of coldness she didn't know she could possess under such pressure.

“I think I’ll pass, save it for someone who cares.”

[Doctor Nationis]

Iugo's smile slowly faded. She was not near as fun... anger welled up inside the boogie, but not enough that he would fly off his handle. Not yet. Another hard yank turned her head to the piano. "Sweetie, why don't you calm down. I won't touch your fingers today." Moving his body and using his head, he turned both of them to face the instrument. "Your song was beautiful," He continued, using the fist on his cane to prod her back toward the piano. Looking over at Loki, he nodded at the goblin still being defeated by the stool.

Loki hesitated for a moment, considering just continuing to watch the whole affair. Reluctantly, the big cat stood up and padded over to the struggling creature and nudged the stool off with it's powerful paw. The goblin sprung to his feet, growling as he scurried away. Damn that girl! So he would have to plot his revenge for another day... when his nose had healed. Loki nudged the table over to Iugo and Piper, sitting on his haunches.

"Pick up your seat and play me another tune," He said softly, his grip on her face tightening. "For old times sake." His voice was cold and held no amusement as he waited for her to do as he said, his grip loosening up if she did so choose to do as he said.

[Piper Wren]

Piper gritted her teeth as Iugo wrenched her head to face the piano, he seemed to be getting rougher with her the longer she refused to comply to the reaction he wanted. She knew that would happen if she chose to hold back, if she held on for long enough the young woman could only hope he would get bored…she hoped anyway. Still she concentrated on keeping her breathing slow and even, focusing on the piano as an anchoring point. Feigning a calm exterior was the best she could do right now, she felt his fist in her back, nudging her towards the instrument. Piper resisted for a moment before she was forced to move back towards it.

"Sweetie, why don't you calm down? I won't touch your fingers today. Your song was beautiful,"

The young woman’s skin called at the mocking endearment of ‘Sweetie’, at least he wasn’t calling her ‘Baby’ like Robbie used to. ‘Sweetie’ despite making her feel sick was something she could cope with, it didn’t push her buttons too much. Piper managed to keep her face straight despite the urge to shudder at the feigned compliments and unwanted physical contact. Although she couldn’t see Agony being freed from being trapped underneath the stool, she heard his angry chittering as he scuttled off. Good, the little imp deserved every moment of it.

"Pick up your seat and play me another tune, For old times sake."

There was a moment’s defiant pause but if it meant getting out of Iugo’s grip then she would comply. Piper left his arms and held back a ragged sigh of relief although she didn’t put the metal stand down, she wasn’t stupid. Instead she carried both that and the stool back to the piano, seating herself back at the instrument, setting the metal stand close beside her. She wasn’t going to sing for Iugo…at this point she wasn’t sure if her vocal chords would let her. Piper began playing the chords of a classical piece that Elric had heard her play what seemed like a lifetime ago, Lilium. It began soft and slow before gradually growing in it’s depth of sound, complexity and the tempo in which is was played.

Usually Piper could lose herself doing this, not today…

[Doctor Nationis]

The smile returned as he saw the pitiful human do as she was told. Perhaps she only pretended to have that backbone. Piper knew what he could do to her. A smart girl. Iugo stepped back, allowing her arm room to move up and down the keys as she played. The boogie stood behind her, both hands on the dark cane. He leaned forward as he listened, eyes closed. For all his manic tendencies and homicidal acts the boogie did enjoy a good song played by a talented musician. A pity that talent was in a human.

After a minute of listening, his eyes opened. Introductions could be lengthy, but if there were lyrics he would have heard them by now. His brown orbs zeroed in on Piper's shoulders, still moving as she played the tune silently. Placing his cane in his left hand, he leaned on his with almost all his weight to keep the right from aching later. His left foot shot out and connected hard to her shoulder with enough force to send her out of the stool. The boogie did wince, as this was not a perfected move and his right leg suffered for it.

Looking down at the girl, a deep fiery, anger burned like coals on in a fireplace. "Are you too good to grace me with a vocal performance?" Iugo asked, too politely to be of comfort to anyone. "Get up," He added after a moment, kicking the stool so it would roll over to her, "and play me a song accompanied with your voice." A cool smile replaced the displeased frown. "I don't want a half-assed performance by some slut." A mischievous twinkle lit his eyes after saying this. "Unless you prefer to please my senses in a way more... "arousing way." A dark chuckle escaped the ghostly pale lips as he rested both hands on the cane he placed in front of him once more.

[Piper Wren]

Piper was about half way through the piece she felt a hard kick connect to her shoulder, the blow was enough to knock her from the piano stool. Not only hurting her shoulder but dealing a blow to her head from hitting the floor, the muscles and nerves in her shoulder were sending distress signals to her brain…but Piper bit her lip and stayed quiet, not allowing herself to cry out. She wouldn’t do it, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction! The young woman screwed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth but managed to not make a sound. There was no point in questioning what displeased him, Iugo had probably done it simply because he could. Piper was not a violent person but Iugo was the one person she wished she could have the strength to hurt…

"Are you too good to grace me with a vocal performance?"

Something within Piper wanted to say ‘Yes, I am.’ To that question but common sense stopped her, there was standing up for herself and then there was asking for a beating. She had to keep some sense of self preservation, but it seemed Iugo was not done with her yet as he kicked the heavy wooden, piano stool over onto her. It landed a solid jar to her ribs and chest, pain shot through Piper’s torso and she gasped involuntarily at the sudden blow to her chest.

"Get up, and play me a song accompanied with your voice. I don't want a half-assed performance by some slut. Unless you prefer to please my senses in a way more...arousing way."

“No, please stop! Please!”

“Shut up you little Bitch!”

Piper could hear her own voice in her head this time, pleading hopelessly for her Godfather to leave her alone even though she knew what was coming. Being prone on the floor was just making it worse, it made it more like that night…despite the pain she forced the stool off her, gasping slightly as she forced herself to her feet. She couldn’t hide the haunted look in her eyes which flashed in for a moment but she calmly spoke to Iugo, her voice was quiet and even.

“I’m not anybody’s whore.”

[Doctor Nationis]

Mentally, Iugo was ready to start shouting. Not lose his cool, but scare this little wench until she begged for mercy. But she was a smart girl... She knew better than to beg for mercy from the Good Doctor. Outwardly, Iugo's teeth flashed in a grin. "Nobody's whore, you say? That is quite the statement." Agony looked around one of the plush sitting chairs, the oozing finally starting to crust up and stop. His beady eyes glared holes into her back. Oh, how he wanted to see her burn... But the joy he would get from setting her room ablaze in the night would be off set by the torture and rage that Iugo would take out on his poor, weak body.

The boogie moved quickly, almost a hop, as to prevent damage to his leg and for more agility. In a flash, he was in front of Piper, a cold hand wrapped around her throat. The pressure on her neck was not strong enough to suffocate her, but strong enough to prevent her escaping. The boogie, with his right hand on his cane to help support himself, raised the girl off the floor ever so slightly, just so she knew how much effort it took the slim man to manipulate her. "Who gave you permission to decide what you are?" He asked softly. A whisper of Death himself.

The grip did tighten as their noses grew closer, barely big enough for a piece of paper to slide better. "You are a human. A dirty human with no say. All this defiance will get you nothing but pain," At that, he squeezed harder for a moment, cutting off her air flow to get his point across. "Do you know what it feels like to have your arm split in two, lying in agony as I saw through it? Do you?" He asked, his voice still calm and quiet. His eyes holding the same flame of malice, but his lips returning to a neutral state.

Even Agony's eyes grew wide at this new style of intimidation. Where was the yelling? The screaming? the throwing of objects/people? Loki only concerned himself with not letting his master's prey slip away. The black tail swept the carpet, back and forth. The golden eyes watching this display of cruelty. Darion was a whimp compared to this man - monster, more like.

[Piper Wren]

"Nobody's whore, you say? That is quite the statement. Who gave you permission to decide what you are?"

Piper gasped at the icy hand closing around the pale skin of her throat, it was not yet cutting off her airways but it was enough to hurt. Especially when she felt herself lifting a short way off the ground, out of reflex she grabbed Iugo’s arm although it may have been a pointless action…she was not strong enough to pull herself free from his grasp. Normally Iugo was not resort to this kind of action so quickly but Piper wasn’t stupid, the fact that she was fighting and winning in not giving the boogie the reaction he wanted. It was getting to him, even now with his hand around her throat, adrenaline coursing through her veins and barely contained fear icy in the depths of her stomach. She still held true.

Even when Iugo’s face came directly up to hers, close enough that their noses were almost touching and the foul scent of his breath washed over her. It was like stale blood…a wave of nausea and fear passed through her and for a few seconds Piper screwed her eyes shut.

"You are a human. A dirty human with no say. All this defiance will get you nothing but pain, Do you know what it feels like to have your arm split in two, lying in agony as I saw through it? Do you? "

The young woman choked when the grip on her neck tightened and Iugo cut off her air supply, despite it being fruitless she tried to remove his hand from her neck. Piper knew she would not be able to speak but for a hoarse choking sound from being strangled but she couldn’t give up, a moment of panic and even anger took over…she spat as fiercely as she could directly into Iugo’s face.

[Doctor Nationis]

The gasp was the first pleasant noise Piper had made all evening. Iugo relished it openly, tilting his head to the side as she watched her struggle. It was amazing how pitiful creatures became without oxygen... They would struggle and, oh, would you look at that! She gripped his arm! That was a most amusing sight. Weakened as he was, his arm didn't budge under her valiant efforts. The suffering in her eyes was not near enough to satisfy his sick, twisted pleasure. Iugo was about to follow the first threat up with more vivid details, but was cut short by the saliva now in his face.

He had closed his eyes in time, the right one unable to open without repercussions. The calm faced slowly twisted into that of rage. "You will pay for that, Piper..." Iugo hissed quietly, raising her higher, feet completely off the floor. He held her there for a moment, the left eye opening. And then, with all the might he could muster, he threw her down on the ground. The floor creaked and groaned in retaliation, but accepted the heavy load.

With a hand now free to use, he wiped the spit from his eye and looked down at Piper. The furious frown was replaced by a grin as he tossed the cane aside and quickly leapt on top of the defenseless, and perhaps dazed, woman. "Piper," Iugo whispered, a hand on either side of her head and a knee between her legs. The right was off the the side, playing less of a role in pinning the woman down. "You aren't treating your master with much respect. What will all the other boogies think?" Iugo asked, feigned hurt in his voice.

The boogie lowered himself to mere inches from her body, following her eyes as best he could with his head. "Why would you do that to me? I have never ever done anything to deserve this sort of wrath. My little meatbag, why do you hate me so?" Iugo continued to lower his face until the woman was more uncomfortable than previously before.