Goldfish

[Lavender Marriott]

Lavender opened her eyes, very unaware of where she was. The last image in her eyes was her little sister falling to the floor, blood flying out around her from a gunshot wound. The girl's eyes filled up with tears, where was she? She needed to get to her sister, she needed to save her.

'No, I'm not going to cry. Crying won't fix anything.'

The teenager's disorientation became very apparent as her legs became weak and she slumped against the wall. Lavender's back slid down the wall until she was sitting on the cold ground. This was uncharacteristic of the stoic artist, she never let her emotions get so out of control. But this was Jesscia! Jessica couldn't take care of herself. She needs me and I let her down!

Never before had Lavender ever been filled with such a feeling of hopelessness, of desolation. Every nerve in her taunt body felt like it was on numb from being burnt by a blazing fire. Couldn't move... needed to run. Nothing made sense anymore, where was she!? Lavender tried to get her thoughts together. She had been under the sink playing hide and seek with her little sister. Then the man. Then the gunshot. Then... nothing. This.

She punched the ground beneath her unable to accept anything to do with her sister's death. Was [/i]she[/i] dead? Had she been shot too? No, death didn't hurt, and that punch definitely hurt. Death also didn't bleed, but there was a few droplets of blood dripping out of her palm from where her nails cut her fair skin. "Jessica," Lavender whispered to the ceiling. The palace was driving her insane already and she hadn't been here but a few moments.

The new residential human forced herself to stand and look around. It looked like she was in a hallway of sorts... how was that possible? Maybe she was dead after all.

[Luke Valtrie]

Luke was being as reckless as ever from dawn till dusk then repeated it the next day. Today however, after a mild run in with a angry Boogie he’d gotten away and hung out on the roof tops awhile. Muttering to himself how stupid Boogies were. As he also cursed the new-found pain in his shoulder were they’d hit him pretty hard with a pipe. But at least he got some more goodies from the fight, he tossed up and down a bag of coins, and in another back beside him were a few handfuls of fruits, bread, dried meat and candy. All he needed to survive, so he didn’t need much more did he?

He lived a simple life here, but not necessarily a good one, he hated it here. He wanted to go home, and soon….he had to, not for his sake, but for his mother, father…and sister. He wanted to just to say what he needed to, then he’d even happily come back here, if that’s what it took? Somehow…they just seamed like a far off dream.

He sucked In a deep breath, jumped up and hurried over the roof as not to be seen then finely got to the ledge and carefully climbed down on a open window seal. And slid right back inside, no one would ever know where he was. A apple in his mouth his teeth dug into it as he walked on, and took it with his other hand and enjoyed the snack before he turned the corner in the hallway and found a rather confused looking woman. He whipped his mouth and tilted his head. “Hey over there.’ he razed a arm and gave a half wave. “Are you alright Missy?” he asked taking a few more steps toward her finishing his apple nonchalantly.

[Lavender Marriott]

Lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the boy coming down the hall so when he hollered to get her attention it made her jump slightly. Despite all her self control she felt a tear build up behind one of her baby blue eyes and roll down her face. Lavender stiffened her back to stand up straighter out of natural reaction. Who knew where this man's standing was in this place? Blue eyes flitted briefly to the apple he was finishing to the various provisions he had with him. The woman also made a quick review of the way the man stood and carried himself. He had taken the time to ask her if she was alright so maybe...

"I, I don't know where I am. I'm," She then knuckled her eyes to clear them, "Do you... I just." Lavender was frightened, confused, and very disoriented. 'Jessica must be so scared.'

That's it! Maybe he had seen little Jessica! Lavender let herself the briefest amounts of hope, praying the answer would be yes, but knowing in her heart what the answer would be.

"Have you... have you seen my sister?" Given the items he had with him, the man looked like he knew his way around here, maybe he had seen her baby sister flitting about the long hallways. Maybe whatever force had brought Lavender here had also taken her sibling along for the ride. "She's," Lavender swallowed to clear the rough sound from her voice, "her name is Jessica, she has dark hair and she's this tall." The woman had brought her hand up to represent the height. "She has to be around here somewhere. Please, where is she?"

[Luke Valtrie]

Luke watched the strange woman, a few moments before she finely spoke to him, his heart jumped in his chest. As she spoke so confused, seemingly hurt and completely lost. Luke tossed the apple core away and slowly approached letting down his guard, maybe he shouldn’t haven’t but he wanted to approach her with a completely calm stance.

He sucked in a deep breath glancing around there were no boogies in the hall way. He listened to her finish speaking then she spoke again about another girl, her sister? This made him a tad but uncomfortable. But he walked up seeing she was even more freaked out then he thought. “Hey its okay.” he razed his hands up. “easy to say your new here.” he stated and glanced around making sure there was no boogies around.

“I’m Luke.” he started. “You’re not at home anymore.” he sighed. “I don’t know how to explain this.” he bit his lip. “Your in wonderland…another world.” he stated calmly and let his hands fall by his sides and frowned. “I don’t know how you got here….but I don’t think your sister is here….” he stated and scratched his head looking away. “put plainly you were kidnapped.” he frowned. “b-but everything will be okay.” Luke stated slowly putting a hand up on her shoulder. “if you come with me we can talk more, your new here….fresh meat.” he glanced around again. “its dangerous…..” he stated.

[Lavender Marriott]

Lavender waited eagerly to hear if he had seen Jessica, but her hopes came crashing down around her. She stood there numb, listening half-heartedly as he explained. It was actually almost too much for her. Lavender closed her eyes and shook her head making some sort of attempt to keep her head clear. “Wonderland?! What are you talking… Kid…kidnapped?” No! How could things possibly be okay? Lavender was running through every emotion possible, sadness, and anger, out right denial. First she watched her sister’s murder, now this fellow was telling her that she had been kidnapped?!

When he touched her, she didn’t flinch from his hand, she just couldn’t. The woman didn’t understand, maybe it was because it was something she could feel and know was real. In this setting where nothing felt real and nothing made sense, at least that touch did. It jolted her into reality to understand what he was saying. “Luke,” Lavender tested the name and then she nodded. He kept looking around, almost nervously; whatever he was looking around for was obviously a threat. He didn’t seem the type that would be intimidated by much judging by his body type. But that also might be resultant from said possible threat.

She nodded quickly once more, blank faced. “I’m Lavender.” She swallowed the pain down and met his eye. “Let’s get out of here.”

[Luke Valtrie]

Luke watched her, inside his mind it kept tugging, he knew what pain she was going though to be separated from ones family or loved ones, no less a younger sibling… though he didn’t know how bad her story was, he could only try and remain collected for her. hopefully he would be able to help her around this place. Another thing was that she had not been ‘claimed’ by a Boogie yet. That he hoped he could keep from happening all together. “its going to alright.” he said with a nod.

He smiled a moment almost goofily. “pretty name.” he stated with a small grin then nodded. “Right then.” Luke smirked and gave a thumbs up. “Oddly the safest place right now is on the roof.” he walked toward the window. “it can be a little scary at fist but getting up there is the hard part.” he opened it and sat in the window seal a moment before reaching up and pulling down a rope with knots tied in it.

“the roof itself gets pretty flat.” he stated calmly glancing back at her he made sure to show her the rope was safe as he climbed up, and vanished from sight before suddenly dropping his hand down and waved at her. “alrighty, I’ll help you up.” he stated. “then we can talk.” he stated. “and you can really see this ‘wonderland’, from here.” he added.


[OOC: maybe hes part monkey >D]

[Lavender Marriott]

All Lavender could really do in response thanks to the situation was give a little uneasy laugh and thank him for his compliment. The frightened woman followed quickly on his heels; unsure of everything the farther they went. ’Stop it Lavender! Now is NOT the time to fall apart. Just pull it together for a little longer. You’ll find a way out of this. It’s going to be okay. Everything is going to be fine.’ This was becoming her new mantra. She watched as he opened the window and then pulled something down from somewhere.

She eyed the rope with apprehension, even after he showed her that it was safe. She had climbed up to the roof back home, but she’d never used a tied rope before. To be honest, she wasn’t sure if she could handle it right now, the shock was still doing ridiculous things to her mindset. Regardless, she grabbed hold of the thick rope and set herself to the task. Surely it couldn’t be too hard right? Lavender looked down out the window… that was a pretty good fall…. She swallowed and held the rope tighter. With her grip tight on the rope, she swung her legs over the sill and braced herself for the hit against the building.

Pulling herself up, she reached her hand out when she was close enough to grab his hand. It was a bit of a hard go this roof, the gutter didn’t want to work with her and she tore the knee of her jeans on a rusty piece of metal. Once she situated herself and check her knee, the girl looked out over to the horizon. The view made her jaw drop. It was true… she wasn’t back home in her little rural hometown in southern Ohio. She was somewhere else entirely. She breathlessly asked Luke, “How…”

[ooc Yay! xD]

[Luke Valtrie]

Luke chuckled lightly trying to ease the situation he was most likely about to cause. He watched Lavender approach the rope warily at first. After a moment she made it outside and climbed up, pretty good for her first time, Luke never really looked down just climbed on up. Dumb, yes, but after a while of being here most fear’s flow away from you.

Luke quickly reached down to help her upon the rooftop. Noticing she seemed to catch her knee on the gutter and, he bit his lip hoping that wasn’t his fault. After she was on the roof and she checked her knee he was happy to see no blood. And sat back pulling up the rope and tucking it in the gutter before also looking out over the horizon. It was a amazing view. Like something out of a story book, only more deadly then anyone could ever imagine.

He paused as she looked at him and asked one word, that pretty much said it all. Luke rubbed the back of his neck and laid back on the roof arms folded behind his head, his eyes looking serious but still gleaming in the sun. “this is wonderland. Creatures here called ‘Boogies’ kidnap human children for slaves.” he stated. “use your imagination, plus the fact each of them have some kind of strange power….all different.” he sighed. “but all monsters, I guess you were taken, but I don’t know where the Boogie that took you went.” he shrugged some and looked to her. “but hey, that’s kind of a good thing….I guess you’re a ‘wild human’ like me for a while….here its kill or be killed….I’m trying to get home too, but well….I’ll let you know if I find it.” he sighed closing his eyes a moment.

[Lavender Marriott]

Her gaze turned from him back to the view. So that was it huh? At least he gave it to her straight, she wouldn't have had the patience to deal with it if he'd drawn everything out. Boogie? Like... the boogieman sort of thing? So they take us, to serve them?" Her mind turned back to her family, the little play that she and her sister had put on for their family before the fateful hide and seek game. A little girl had gotten lost and a boogieman had tried to capture her. But she'd outsmarted the boogieman and shoved him in a lake.

"And all the goldfish ate him up because they thought he was bread." Lavender whispered.

Gazing out on the landscape she could pick out a few noticeable landmarks. A few things didn't look right, bent pieces of metal, a shadowed area, maybe a market off in the distance? "Does life go on here? If... if you can call it that? I mean, I take it that's what you meant by dangerous. They aren't particularly nice beings... are they?" So much of her just wanted to scream until her lungs stopped working and her legs gave out beneath her.

"'Wild human?' Tell me everything. I don't want to be unprepared." She may be new, but the woman refused to be slow on the upkeep. It was obvious that too much rode on her understanding and her will to survive. "Luke," Lavender tested the new man, something, anything to feel real. "How long have you been searching?" Her eyes were forward now, she didn't look at the man who found her, nor did her gaze waver. She needed to know, needed to base her hopes, or her lack of hope, on something. Give her a goal to shoot for. Maybe, well, it seemed to her based on what Luke said, they weren't the only two humans here. Maybe there was someone here who needed her help, someone here she could protect, to make up for failing to protect her family.

"How many others are there."

[Luke Valtrie]

Luke watched Lavender she seemed to understand his talk about where they were and what was going on. Only naturally one would have questions, only no one was there to help Luke when he first got here, so he smiled faintly on that thought, how he might could help this young woman.

“Yea more or less, fairy tail gone wrong.” he sighed. “we serve them, anyway they want us to, like were there pets, or sex slaves, like I said…its not so friendly.” he sighed. Then looked toward her. As she whispered something, he wasn’t really sure what she said. Then she spoke to him again, he smirked at the ‘wild human‘, comment. “well….I don’t have a master, some how I’ve managed to escape them every time, living in the forest or even inside, I’ve weaseled my way around them.” he smirked thinking on how some boogies could be so stupid. “so that’s pretty much how I live, stealing what I need from them and moving on.” he stated then paused looking toward her.

It was so strange….he never really talked to many others, but he was able to get to he before the Boogie men did, so maybe he could help her be prepared. Then she asked how long he’d been looking. Not often did he think on such matters, he was happy to see the next day, he didn’t think on years, finely it hit him, it knotted up in his stomach tightly. “As long as I’ve been here, for five years….” he stated then added. “I don’t know what I’m looking for nor even if there is a way back but I HAVE to get back…that’s all there is to it.” he stated. “Fools dream maybe, but it keeps me going.” he stated closing his eyes. “more humans then I can count but there all treated like trash…” he sighed.

[Lavender Marriott]

The woman sat down and pulled her knees up close to her chest. So many things to wrap her mind around. When he mentioned some of the slave possibilities she first blanched from the idea and then blushed furiously. Despite her age, and the stereotypes of those that were her peers, she had never been touched in such a way. Lavender remembered his comment from before while they were still in the hallway. That it was dangerous… that must mean that they would take anything and everything from you without a second thought. Could she say that she was lucky to have been taken in such circumstances then? That whoever had stolen her had decided that they didn’t want her and then left her to her own devices? Did that mean that she had a higher chance of getting home?

Did she even want to go home when she knew what waited for her? Was there anything to go home to? She listened to him tell of his search and she could tell she’d hit something sensitive. “Five years… such a long time.” Lavender gazed out on Wonderland with a blank look, she was back home with her family, wondering if she would ever see them again. “Then I mustn’t be taken either.” She said with finality. “Survivors dream Luke. Fools give in, let go to the things around them with no hope to change it.”

The painter’s eyes flicked swiftly back and forth then suddenly stopped. She turned her head and looked at the man that had found her and asked him, “But since I’m here, someone else must know. If I was taken, then why wasn’t I claimed? I mean, not that I’m complaining. But, I was taken for a reason right? What if it comes back? If it comes looking for me and it finds you too?” Her thought process was that she didn’t want him captured thanks to the kindness he had shown her.

[Luke Valtrie]

“Hum…” Luke frowned watching her and sat up. Watching he smiled faintly. “I guess your right.” he stated and looked back over the lands again. He listened as she spoke and rubbed his chin some. “well ya I guess.” he stated then paused. “but most the time Boogies do it for sport, throw you in this world so fast you become disoriented, other Boogies just catch you. I mean, I don’t even know the one that snatched me, but if I ever found him. Hah.” he grinned and pumped his fist up some, then relaxed again.

“well, if that happens and someone comes looking for you.” he paused. “I’ll just teach them a lesion.” he smirked. “I’ve wrangled Boogies before.” he smirked and looked back at her. “basically, its life of sneaking around, fighting, but you survive, at least a little longer.” he added and looked back to her. “though I’m sorry you got dragged into this at all.” he sighed. Wondering what she’d want to do. Possibly would she want to stick by him? At least he could trust he not to go tell any Boogies were he was. But he’d never really hung out with anyone so long, more so any girls. He fidgeted at the thought then shook his head.

“I think you will be okay.” he stated with a soft smile.

[[OOC: sorry kind or short x.x]]

[Lavender Marriott]

Her jaw dropped and her eyebrows furrowed in anger, ’SPORT!?’, Lavender screamed in her mind, she was prepared to go on a tirade, but she kept her temper in check and closed her mouth, grinding her teeth a tad in the process. Her eyes softened when he said he’d protect her if anyone came after their claim. She didn’t want to live a life under someone else; she was too much of a free spirit. And her temper, though not very volatile, when someone triggered her rage, all beware. And from what Luke had told her… that would probably happen very often and she would get into all sorts of trouble.

She sighed as well, she too was unsure of what she was going to do. Was he offering a partnership of sorts? Surely she would only serve to make things harder for him. It was much easier to sneak around with just one person than with two. Let along one who had no idea what was what in her strange new surroundings. The adrenaline was starting to wear off and she felt haggard so she wrapped her arms around her legs with her head resting on her knees. She left her head turned so that she could look at him, “Thank-you Luke.” A light smile rested on her lips, it was one of hope regardless of the circumstances, one of trust.

“What do I do now that I’m here? And… what about the other humans that haven’t been claimed? Or are we the only ones that haven’t been scooped up by these monsters?” He wasn’t the only one that didn’t have much experience with people. Lavender had been a bit of an odd duck back home, sure, she had friends, but none of them were very close. Boys as a whole avoided her, looking for something in a different class altogether. All Lavender really knew of people was what she had read in books and seen in plays. At least that gave her some advantage when it came to reading body language. In a cut-throat profession like acting, she had learned that those who could manipulate their body language and read it in other usually soared above others. Lavender laughed slightly, “Here I am with my thoughts racing on how to fool any of these… ‘Boogies’ if I ever run across one. Sorry, I’m still a bit of a wreck.”

[[ooc Nah! Don't worry about it xD It's all good. I go all out sometimes then forget I'm RPing and not writing a story. So, I'm going to apologize now cause some of mine are too long. ]]

[Luke Valtrie]

Luke watched Lavender a moment a small smirk on his face he stood and stretched with a yawn and looked down toward her. Mixed emotions, he couldn’t blame her, he felt the same when he first got here if not all the time. He paused and blinked she thanked him? He seemed a little taken back and scratched the back of his head and chuckled. “ah its no big really, I’m sure you’d do the same.” he stated and looked back out the sun was starting to turn the sky different colors.

“well I recon there are other humans out there, but I don’t really know any so out in the open, I mean, I practically kick dirt in Boogie’s faces when I see them. And well I have the marks to prove it.” he stated. “they I think are a little smarter and stick around playing ‘pet’….but I just cant do that…” he looked away a little flustered. “I mean, I guess…” he shook his head at his slaughter of the English language. “I guess I’m just to hard headed.” he smirked. “and its most likely….going to get me killed….” he looked out into the sun setting in the distance, his eyes looking serious.

“Anger, hate, hope and dreams, keep you going but don’t let them blind you.” he stated then laughed. “man I sound so corny right about now.” he laughed. He then paused looking back to her then around, as he heard a noise. “its getting late.” he frowned. “little more and a little less dangerous at the same time.” he smirked. “even Alice when lost in wonderland met creatures of harm and danger.” he smirked folding his arms.

“Should remain safe up here…but it’ll get colder.” he frowned slightly as a breeze flowed over them, it felt like it went right though his bones. “eheh.” he smirked rubbing his arms. “But I have a hiding place.” he nodded. “it’s a lot warmer too.” he stated then paused, hearing a noise. Fallowed by a voice. “I thought I heard voices! You two! Brats get down now!” a heavy looking Boogie pulled himself upon the roof slowly and glaring at them. “what?” Luke gasped twisting around eyes wide at first then narrowed. “da**…” he growled. “that’s what I get for leavening the window open.” he hissed under his breath. “Lavender?” he nodded and looked back at the Boogie. “oi I’m up here doing a chore, fat-bag.” Luke snapped and held out his arms.

“No no, I know your that brat from yesterday!” the Boogie shouted. Luke looked away. “there’s another way off the roof.” he whispered to Lavender and smirked. Then reached down and pulled a long dagger from his boot and twirled it around in his hand a few times before holding it still out in front of him.

[Lavender Marriott]

Lavender laughed politely at his comment about being hard headed. “I can be the same way when it comes to being stubborn… it has often gotten me in trouble.” She also understood what he meant about letting things blind you, “It’s alright, its entirely true so,” she shrugged with no real way to explain. She stood as well, noting the change in time, the sun had seemed to set so quickly and it had taken her off guard. “A little more and a little less dangerous? So there are more threats then the Boogies?” The wind that started blowing was cold, colder than the weather back home. Yes, she had a thin sweater on, but it was just that. Thin. Lavender was totally unprepared for it. “Mhm, warmer sounds like the perfect thing right now,” she said with the beginnings of a shiver.

When she heard the voice she froze, unsure of what to do next. Luke’s nod set her in the right direction though, they were going to play it out. She straightened up, pretending like every word Luke said was nothing but the truth and she took on a -who was this guy to get in their way when they were trying to do something for someone that was obviously better than he was? – stance. Well… that didn’t work as well as she thought it would. She would have to apologize later for the window.

She heard the man tell her that there was another way off the roof. “How do we get to it?” She hissed quickly before the creature got close enough to hear them yet. Lavender stood there, not knowing what to do next, and then Luke pulled out a knife. What in the world was going on?! He really must not like these guys if he was so quick to pull something so dangerous out so quickly. ’But it must be necessary then. If these guys really are as bad as he says.’ So in the brief amount of time she had to react, she scanned the roof for anything she could possibly use as a weapon to defend herself or even perhaps Luke if push came down to shove.