A New Dawn. [Piper]

[Piper Wren]

"He won't. I've dealt with his kind before, and he won't be forgetting it anytime soon. Chances are he'll keep coming after you, and he'll probably try to go after my humans in order to get to me. Hopefully he'll slip up though. All I need is one mistake and that'll be it for him."

Piper sank back down onto her chair, the thought of Iugo coming back for her was making her feel sick to her stomach…she pushed her dark hair out her eyes and held back a shudder, it wouldn’t just be her that Iugo would be stalking, others will be at risk as well. The Mad Doctor was a lot less than happy when Piper had seen him last night…as much Piper hated to admit it, Iugo wasn’t exactly stupid, it wasn’t likely that he was going to walk into a trap so easily if one was set for him.

And at the ‘My humans’ comment…a while ago Piper would have said ‘I don’t belong to anyone’…but if she wanted to be the least bit safe in this fucked up world than she really didn’t have much of a choice.

“I take it that I belong to you now…”

It was an improvement at least, what she had seen of Tristan so far had been almost completely human, the only things that really reminded Piper that he was a Boogie were the wings that were still in her view and the way he spoke about human’s belonging to him. Awkwardly, Piper put her hand in her pocket and frowned slightly when something touched the tips of her fingers, what the? She pulled it out and remembered, it was the bracelet she had made out of coloured thread from the market, it had kept her occupied for a short while and kept her mind off certain things. Piper turned it over and glanced up at Tristan, she leaned forward the tied it carefully around Tristan’s wrist.

“Erm...you can keep that.”

[Ryan Cardwell]

“I take it that I belong to you now…”

That was something that he honestly hadn't considered. He supposed that his actions last night had been tantamount to stealing her from Iugo, at least tha'ts the was he and the rest of Wonderland would see it. However such a thought had never entered Tristan's mind. At first it had been about killing Iugo, then it had had become saving Piper. But the thought of stealing her away was a thought he'd missed completely. Granted it would be a good deal safer for her, especially from the bulk of Wonderland. And it would save him alot of trouble in keeping her from harm. As things were, trouble was the only thing that would come of him trying to keep her from her master. "No, you don't belong to me. Neither do the others. They are under my protection, 'claiming' them is merely a formality required to keep others from trying to snatch them away. You belong to no one, but you wish it then I will take you in as well." part of that wasn't necessarily true, seeing as Iugo still held some claim over her, but that was entirely beside the point. He was sure it wouldn't be brought up and if it was... Well. He'd deal with that when and if the time came.

“Erm...you can keep that.”

He held up his wrist, staring at the bracelet for several minutes. It was the first time he'd received such a thing in...eh.... Well, ever. To his memory he'd never once received any sort of gift, of any kind. His parents might have given him something when he was younger, but that was almost ten millenia ago. Most boogies had never even seen days that far covered by the mists of time, so it was only natural that his memory be a bit hazy. And so this small gift warmed his shattered heart bringing a small smile to his face. "Thank you Piper..." He would have to give her something in return, though what he had no idea. It would take some thought.

[Piper Wren]

"No, you don't belong to me. Neither do the others. They are under my protection, 'claiming' them is merely a formality required to keep others from trying to snatch them away. You belong to no one, but you wish it then I will take you in as well."

When it was phrased that way it sounded less like slavery and more like having a guardian who took care of you…hell, in this acid trip without the acid you needed it. Piper knew that now and she had learnt it the hard way, if it would keep her safe while she worked with Augusta at finding a way out of here then for now she would take it. And after everything he had done for her, Piper would make sure that none of the rebels touched Tristan when things began moving. Iugo had ‘claimed’ her as his property though…the thought made her sick, in Piper’s mind that claim did not stand, it was like being a prisoner…a plaything. At that thought she clenched both fists tightly in her lap so her knuckles stood out, stark white and paler than her own ivory skin.

“For a while now I’ve only wanted one thing…a life that’s mine.”

Piper wasn’t simply referring to Wonderland but to her previous life, when she got out of here then there was no way in hell she was returning to her Godfather and his ill treatment. She had her dreams, she had told Augusta to follow his…maybe Piper needed to take her own advice.

"Thank you Piper..."

She looked up at that and noticed the expression on Tristan’s face…you would think no one had ever given him a gift before…anyway it was just a woven bracelet, hardly valuable…

“It’s just a bracelet…”

[Ryan Cardwell]

“For a while now I’ve only wanted one thing…a life that’s mine.”

"Then I shall do what I can to make that happen." The look in his eye made it more than apparent that he spoke only the truth. There was little life to be had for a human in this world, especially when under the power of some of the boogies. But even despite his unpopular views, he held a good bit of influence within the boogie palace. Of course a large part of that came from the knowledge that he would never once hesitate to kill any boogie that crossed him, but it also came from his age. Tristan had been around far longer than most, and given how many boogies there where that wanted him dead that was quite a feat. So whether they liked it or not, there were few that would question him when he carved out a niche for the girl. He wasn't quite sure what it was that she might want with her life, but whatever it was, he'd do everything in his power to make it happen.

Unfortunately though, her words piqued a hidden piece of Tristan's mind. It set his thought processes on a track that he'd much rather they avoided. He began wondering about this rebellion he'd been hearing rumors of, and what part this girl might play in it. Despite what many may think, he would not be aiding these rebels in any way. It was true that he did favor the humans favor above his kind as they now were, but in the end he was a boogie before all. Tristan was a boogie from the old age, before they had fallen to what they now were. He was proud of what he was, even if he was ashamed of what his race had become. And thus, he would not allow this rebellion to stand. But if any of his humans, including Piper, were a part of it, then things would be far more complicated. And so he resolved to find out, though subtlety would be key here. "Piper? I've been hearing rumors of some sort of rebellion, and I was wondering. What's your opinion on the matter?" Her answer would not change anything between them, whether she openly admitted to being a part or not. He would still do whatever he could for her, protect her and aid her in any way possible. But her answer would be what would shape his role in the upcoming events.

“It’s just a bracelet…”

He smiled at her, shaking his head as he did so. "It is more than that when you've never had anything of the sort. This is the first thing I've had that could be called a gift." He was sure she would find that odd, but that was the way of things here. On did not simply go around giving away presents, unless they were spoiling a human of course. And no matter how kind the master, humans never concerned themselves with giving them anything. Thie was a harshg world, one where such kindness was rarely if ever rewarded. And so when such a thing did occur, it was a special thing.

[Piper Wren]

"Then I shall do what I can to make that happen."

Piper wasn’t sure what to make of that statement…while she was here, her life was not her own no matter who she ‘belonged’ to, as long as she was a prisoner in this fucked up acid trip her life wasn’t her own. Even if Tristan was a decent man despite being a Boogie…it still had her in chains even if that was not Tristan’s intention. Having a life in Wonderland just didn’t seem possible, Piper had seen too many others here already who had that chance taken from them. Awkwardly she fiddled with the fabric of her sleeve, worrying it between her thumb and forefinger.

“I appreciate the sentiment, but having a life here? Don’t make me laugh…”

"Piper? I've been hearing rumors of some sort of rebellion, and I was wondering. What's your opinion on the matter?"

At those words, Piper got up from her chair and looked out of the window with her back towards Tristan, there was no way she was going to mention the Rebellion to him and confirm that it was far more than a rumour! Tristan may like the company of humans but she doubted that he would side with a rebel force. Piper leaned against the window sill and stayed silent, thinking about how she should respond. This was a tough situation, being rescued by a genuinely good hearted boogie but then realising he wanted to know if the Rebellion was only a rumour…

“I can only speculate…”

"It is more than that when you've never had anything of the sort. This is the first thing I've had that could be called a gift."

That was…kind of a sad concept. It seemed that boogies weren’t exactly loving and giving to their own kind either. Piper glanced over her shoulder to see if Tristan was joking or not but by the expression on his face she realised he was serious…she anxiously nibbled the skin on her thumb and looked away again, staring out the window as if there were something fascinating out there, rather than an attempt to avoid Tristan’s eyes. Piper sighed deeply and there was a long pause before she spoke again.

“So…Boogies aren’t exactly loving or giving even to their own either.”

[Ryan Cardwell]

“I appreciate the sentiment, but having a life here? Don’t make me laugh…"

His brow raised towards his hair line, almost disappearing entirely as it did so. "You don't trust my word?" Of course, she really had little reason to believe anything he said. He might have saved her, but he was still just another of the race that had enslaved her kind. Gratitude or not, he highly doubted she would believe anything he told her. He didn't like it but that was the way of things. In this world boogies tormented humans, and humans hated boogies. That was the way of things, and they would never change.

“I can only speculate…”

Despite the words, he could tell that there was something she wasn't telling him. Many assumed Tristan to be an idiot, simply because he chose to keep what he knew to himself instead of boasting his knowledge to the world. However they were all wrong. Tristan was as intelligent as he was strong and fast. That was part of what made him so deadly when it came to that. But it also served him in everyday life, and allowed him to see things that were hidden to others. He knew full well that there was something she was keeping from him, but he ignored everything that told him to push the issue further. "Very well then..."

So…Boogies aren’t exactly loving or giving even to their own either.”

Now that was laughable. Most boogies were concerned with nothing but their own affairs, lounging about and torturing their slaves. There were notable exceptions of course, Tristan's own parents being two of them. They had genuinely loved and care for him, all the way up until the day that he had left them to start his own life. Personally, he despised his race and what they had allowed themselves to become. If left up to him, he would gladly kill near everyone of them so that the race could start anew, and this time keep themselves as they should be, proud. He gave the girl a grim smile, the look on his face unintelligible. "That is the way of things. There are few that care, but only for their own. The rest of us..... Well, we couldn't give a damn what happened to the others." He was bitter. But then, he had good reason.

[Piper Wren]

"You don't trust my word?"

Piper didn’t mean to offend but none the less…Wonderland was a Prison and the Boogies were the Gatekeepers, they guarded every door and help all the keys. Tristan wasn’t human which meant Piper would automatically take his words with a pinch of salt. He may have rescued her but earning her trust was a whole other matter.

“I don’t mean to offend…but actually trusting a boogie is new for me.”

She was glad that Tristan didn’t push the matter of the Rebellion, once word got out that it was not just some ridiculous rumour and that humans were gathering against the Boogies…things could get ugly. Piper would prefer to end it without violence or deaths but after the behaviour of some of the boogies she had come across she knew it would not be quite so simple. She leaned against the window sill again with her back to the glass, facing Tristan, her expression impassive for a moment.

“You’re very different from the norm, I’m just not sure what to expect…”

"That is the way of things. There are few that care, but only for their own. The rest of us..... Well, we couldn't give a damn what happened to the others."

Very much like some humans in that way…After a moment’s hesitation, Piper moved away from the window and perched on the edge of the chair next to Tristan’s bed once again, resting her chin in her hand. There was something about Tristan that wasn’t like the other boogies although her common sense was telling her that trusting a boogie as a person, not just as a rebel wasn’t a good idea. The young woman glanced at Tristan, a look of knowing empathy crossed her face. Piper knew what that felt like, all too well.

“Well we all need people close to us, doesn’t sound like the majority of boogies are particularly…social.”

[Ryan Cardwell]

[“I don’t mean to offend…but actually trusting a boogie is new for me.”

No offense? Really now. He didn't expect her to trust him so easily, or even at all. And he certainly wasn't so easily offended. "I don't expect you to trust me. Because anything that has happened aside, I'm still a boogie eh?" And she knew better than to trust a boogie. She'd had the misfortune of running across one of the worst of this world, so bad even that the other boogies couldn't stand him. And it had been her ill luck to have been masterless at the time. That was really the only protection there was to be found in Wonderland, you master's name. And sometimes, even that wasn't enough. As Tristan knew all too well.

“You’re very different from the norm, I’m just not sure what to expect…”

Oh dear. She was asking for it now. By saying those words she'd brought it upon herself. He chuckled at her words, giving her a mock bow, which needless to say hurt like hell, and a toothy grin. "My dear, you'll come to find that I am an oddity among oddities" That was Tristan's favorite line, and he was oh so fond of reciting it. It was quite often brought to his attention how strange he was, especially when compared to the others of his race. And each and everytime, without fail, he responded with the same answer. An oddity among oddities. That he was indeed.

“Well we all need people close to us, doesn’t sound like the majority of boogies are particularly…social.”

That they weren't, unless you counted idle gambling and flaunting their humans as social. Personally they disgusted Tristan. He frowned, contempt clearly etched in his every feature. "Boogies these days are worthless, wretched, and utter wastes of life. They laze around the castle all day, relying solely on the humans to provide for them. And of late, their even too lazy to go and capture the humans themselves, leaving it up to a handful to provide for hundreds. I certainly hope these rumors aren't fact, because it would be far too easy to do away with these wretched creatures." Much as he hated to admit it, that was the truth of things. If the humans ever chanced upon the thought and will to rise up, they would find little in the way of resistance. There where only a handful of boogies such as Tristan capable of stopping them anymore. And the last thing he wanted was to find himself forced to crush them.

[Piper Wren]

"I don't expect you to trust me. Because anything that has happened aside, I'm still a boogie eh?"

At least Tristan wasn’t offended by Piper’s mistrust of him…he was still a boogie, rescuer or not. Her opinions of Tristan’s kind might have been different if she had not been claimed first by a psychopath who had intended to torture her…and worse judging by his behaviour in the Widow’s Trap. The only way to be vaguely safe was to have a name to throw about, what a sad existence…Piper sighed as she absently moved a rogue strand of hair away from her eyes.

"My dear, you'll come to find that I am an oddity among oddities"

That comment actually brought a chuckle from Piper…that was a…well…odd statement to make about yourself but it was a change from the rest of the boogies. Perhaps Tristan was an oddity because he was in fact one of the more sane of his race, it all depended on someone’s perception of an oddity. A shy smile crossed her face, at least Tristan had a sense of humour although bowing like that in his condition probably wasn’t the smartest idea.

“Careful, you might rip your stitches.”

"Boogies these days are worthless, wretched, and utter wastes of life. They laze around the castle all day, relying solely on the humans to provide for them. And of late, their even too lazy to go and capture the humans themselves, leaving it up to a handful to provide for hundreds. I certainly hope these rumors aren't fact, because it would be far too easy to do away with these wretched creatures."

Piper wasn’t so sure that statement was true, it wouldn’t be an easy task to free the rest of the humans from the Boogies even if Tristan described them as lazy creatures…lazy creatures with more physical strength and special talents which humans did not have or ever hope to have. Tristan had a fighting chance against the other boogies being on even ground, it was going to take a lot more than brute strength of the rebellion was to be a success.