sapphira sander
40 years old. human.
owner of citrus.
synth rebellion accomplice. riley
2/33 years old. synth.
brothel worker @ the grind.
a chaotic good wreck. penned by medusa
Alexei couldn’t help but snort when the woman said she pretended that he was a magician. Sure, that was a way to go about it. A magician that made people end up in terrible situations, one that didn’t ever reappear. “If you want to think I am one, then I am,” he said, smiling just slightly. “You don’t really want to know that, Riles. I can’t even give you a real number even if I wanted to.”
“yeah, like a really big magician. really popular. lots of people come from all over just to see you make other people disappear. and they pay you a lot of money for it.” a nice story to tell; one far more fitting to voice than a contract killer. riley still found herself staring at the bar counter, thoughts drifting. he couldn’t even say a number. or maybe he was sparing her the digits? either way, it left her...feeling. something. but she didn’t know what. “but do you like - do you enjoy doing...that? or do you do it for the money, or the ‘cause’?”
“Sure!” Rosie didn’t recognise the voice at first, but she could place the woman’s face very easily the moment she laid eyes on her. She was the synthetic she’d seen Alexei with - or Jasper, as she’d known him at the time. She visibly froze, gaze fixed on her and then on to the dress she was wearing, not exactly knowing what to say. Was this date with Alexei? Probably. It didn’t surprise her that he was still seeing the synth he’d cheated on her with. What frustrated Rosie the most was that it made her so angry and, dare she admit it, jealous. It shouldn’t. If he didn’t care then why should she?
“Wow.” Her tone had flattened as she tried to work out how to navigate this situation. “Either picky or he’s a complete dick. I don’t think green is your colour though, so you should definitely avoid that dress. Doesn’t do you any favours. Maybe something very long with a high neckline would work? Men usually don’t know what they want so I doubt he’d even notice what you’re wearing.”
a snicker came in reply to the redhead’s blunt opinion, imagining her new client as an actual dick. for added hilarity, with that stupid hat he was always wearing around the grind. however, the snicker died down to a shocked lift of her brows. green wasn’t her color? fuck! no wonder she’d lacked in tips the other night, wearing that ugly green mini-skirt.
however, the next thing said made her falter. if there was anything riley knew, it was that customers of the grind didn’t come for nuns. high neckline? long length? that didn’t sound right... expression twitching, the brunette cocked her head, “when is the last time you went on a date though? maybe i am asking the wrong person...” her words were never meant to shame, nor judge. simply an observation, voiced without filter.
“I do, actually,” Astrid noted the awe in the other woman’s voice but didn’t find it fitting to comment on it. It was just a job, just a bit more immersive than other jobs. “Well, that’s easy enough. You’re wanting to be in the movie? Or just watch it?”
“like - in the movies? like, fully submersed in the plot and the action, and the drama.” her hands worked to emphasize her idea, hoping the movement might get such across better. riley tilted her shoulders, adding as an afterthought, “not everyone can be an actor, so...”
“so how’s work been treating you?” their meet-ups had become less frequent over the last few years. due to emeline’s workload, with crime running more rampant given the laws, and sapphira living her double life. it was too hard to sit and breathe and have brunch. but sapphira made the time when she’d gone too long without seeing emeline, needing the familiarity of someone who knew her before she became mrs. sander. someone who also knew the cause behind every action she made nowadays. violet. “are they giving you too much shit? i could have your bosses’ heads on plates if you’d like.” with her connections and power? it’d be easy.
a well timed shake of her head showed how evelyn was having as much trouble to suppress the corners of her mouth from curling as riley understanding what she’d just said and the synth put down the empty cup onto the tainted counter. ‘‘food can very much be a horny factor, if you play it right, may i?’‘ open palm awaiting riley’s hand to slide into hers, she led them to her room. closing the door and setting the room’s availability to taken, she wasted no time whatsoever. ‘‘depending on the scene, i’ll take the lead here and project a fantasy i’ve done before.’‘ a hint of entertainment glistening in her eyes before it smoothly shifted onto taking the upper hand, she came up real close. ‘‘it’s not just about saying a few dirty things, it’s about the energy in the room, if they want you to take control … you take it and don’t ever let it slip from your hands.’’ like her one hand had been brushing strands back behind riley’s ear, the other stopped on her chest to gently push her backwards until her knees hit the bed. ‘’sometimes the simplest touches will turn them on like crazy,’’ her hips positioned locking riley’s legs, her fingers on her chest still feather light drawing circles, still ‘saying’ she was the one on top as she came closer and whispered in her ear. ‘’blowing hot ear onto their skin will create goosebumps,’’ softly doing so beneath her ear where her jawline began, ‘’it’s a sensation that’ll leave them wanting for more. the brunette slowly came back up to meet her face to face, ‘‘and when you know they know you’re in control, you shift that energy to your eyes, just like this…’‘
… then popping a well deserved m&m into her mouth as she rolled off of her, a soft snicker leaving her lips as her back met the soft faux fur bedspread.
riley caught the way evelyn’s head turned away from her line of sight, lips betraying an amused smile. lips she always had a hard time tearing her stare from. the other synth was a captivating thing – which is why, of course, she had such trouble staying away from her company. “i don’t know if i am into food the way i am into…” you. no, wrong. “-doing my job. with other things, i mean. like kinks and accessories.” slipping her hand into evie’s, riley allowed herself to be led elsewhere. anywhere, in fact, so long as the fellow brunette was leading the way. “most of the time their energy is all over the place. i don’t even think they know what they want,” riley found herself humoring, feeling suddenly taken aback by the presence evelyn projected onto her. the feeling of fingers brushing hair from her face, and pushing her back towards the bed, was a familiar tactic. one that brought a rogue smirk to her own features; the smallest sign of devilish maturity passing through her youthful personality.
but the difference between evelyn and riley was experience. where the other synth’s actions seemed slow and deliberate and controlled, riley had a habit of being fast, wild, and uncertain. it had gotten worse as her emotions became more apparent. swallowing back her questions, she simply observed – entranced. wanting to treat this as the intended lesson and less like a step into the stars. a silly phrase she had learned from another cheesy romance movie she watched on repeat way too many times. “mhm!” she found herself humming in high pitch when warm breath met her skin. oh no, evelyn was too good at this. she was out of her league. but her programming reacted, hands sliding up evelyn’s hips and gripping them for support. unfiltered and dangerous curiosity found their way behind her eyes when evelyn stared into them. but just like that and the woman was rolling away with a snicker and a m&m. for a moment, all riley could do was stare up at the ceiling. processing. before she finally rolled over with the other synth, visibly impressed as she muttered, “wow… you are like an actual god.” a playful remark, but an genuine one. “there’s no way i can match that! are you kidding? if anything, i have more questions than before. i think i will just stick to the crazy girl next door trope they always want me to play. i am much better at it, anyways.”
‘‘to me it sounds like you haven’t embraced it. you’re just doing it out of protocol, but there’s no actual manual about this type of work. we’re not engineers that pick up a drill and just go ham on a playground, we have to understand the client we’re facing and project their fantasies onto ourselves and then go ham.’’ did she have any clue what she was talking about herself? not really, it seemed like there was a fog clouding the part that was supposed to be her common sense. she mentally put the blame on the chamomile tea she could only smell, no longer taste. ‘’you mind if i show you instead? perhaps it works best if you have the actual experience first. what would you like to know?’’
understanding failing her, riley faltered with a ramble, “but why would i want to throw a ham at a playground, let alone a client?” brows pinching further, the brunette reasoned aloud, “does the ham make them horny? is it one of those foods, like chocolate? or it makes them relax and then you just get a drill?” clearly, evelyn would have to be blunt with the younger synth if she wanted to get her lesson across. recognizing a visible lesson would probably be best, riley encouraged evie with a breathtaking smile cast in her direction, “of course! i would love for you to show me. because i think i am confused. i want to know everything, but maybe how you start off scenes? is there like prepping you do to ease into their fantasies?”
“i just pretend you’re a magician,” riley admitted with a pinched expression, moving the glass of whiskey back and forth between her hands - gracefully catching it with each slide. “you make people disappear, and magicians do that all the time.” no, she didn’t really want to think about where her less than savory clients ended up after alexei got a hold of them. “how many people have you made disappear though?” not one to hear details, the question came as a surprise to them both.
“i don’t know... i’m not very good at doing that. i can wear the outfits though and that usually helps. and i will tell them a command or two, and that moves things along. but i feel like it’s awkward sometimes, you know? like i’m faking it...” she was, wasn’t she? but her clients couldn’t figure that out. or else riley would be out of the business, and possibly terminated. she was supposed to do everything! it was in her upgraded programming. “oh!” she gasped, eyes wide, “but maybe you could show me some pointers? since you know so much.”
“could you like - help me find a dress for a date? because i have no idea what to get for this one. the guy is really, really picky.” scrunching her nose, riley turned back to the mirror to survey the one she currently had on. it was a nice emerald color, but it lacked somehow. too big, too over-the-top. the synth thought it tacky, in all honesty. glancing over her shoulder at the shop’s redheaded customer, riley explained, “it’s supposed to be fancy, but not too fancy. and sexy, but not i-am-going-to-take-you-home-and-ruin-you. those are his words, not mine.” well, maybe with a twist of her own words, but the idea remained the same.
“don’t you just find it interesting, mr. hartonen...” sapphira began with a challenge to her tone, mastered by the summit’s society. “that synths can feel in their final moments? some angry at their hunters, some visibly shaken and upset, some even going as far as sacrificing themselves for their loved ones?” a conversation to be had that was never brought up in such polite, upscale company. though sapphira cared little about talk of weather and money, and the small gathering they’d both wound up in had proven to be boring. “how do you manage to terminate them when they behave so...so human?” a glass of wine in hand, she leaned against the kitchen counter.
“Look, if you can give me a pretty damn good justification for not going to work tomorrow, I’ll buy you a drink. Not just one of those cheap drinks, either,” Sterling said, completely serious about his offer. He really didn’t want to head into work and have to deal with the bullshit of it all. A hangover might be a good enough excuse in his mind, anyways.
“you don’t want to tends to be enough justification for me,” the raven-haired woman supplied in answer, taking another sip of her already expensive drink. she needed the night out. her husband had a way of weighing on her nerves without realizing it. “but if that doesn’t fly, i’m sure calling in sick with some contagious disease might do.”
“I’m trying to gather opinions here. What kind of world would you like to see next at Disk—World? The possibilities are really endless and I just can’t figure out what people really want.”
“you don’t really make the worlds for the disk-world, do you?” the awe in riley’s voice was apparent, accessorized by the sudden curiosity that flashed behind her blue eyes. “oh wow! that is amazing. i haven’t been to the disk-world place yet, but i would like to sometime.” she doubted between a heavy schedule, her work would allow her. “what about after movies?”
『OLIVIA WILDE ╱ CIS FEMALE 』 » well, is that RILEY? this two-year-old (appears thirty-three) SYNTHETIC has only been in PANORAMA CITY for about two years, usually found WATCHING VINTAGE ROMANCE MOVIES when she wasn’t working as a WORKER AT THE GRIND. she DOES support synthetic rights and IS being watched by the government. ╱ medusa, 24, pst
biography (tw sex work):
riley was crafted two years ago. she is considered one of the most upgraded/updated synths the sander corporation has to offer, especially for her line of business.
she is a brothel worker at the grind, known exclusively for being one of the cheaper establishments of the sort throughout panorama city/arcadia - for both its overnight fares and its ‘merchandise.’
because of this, the grind sees quite a large number of clients. it works around the clock, with faces pouring in and out every hour. it’s not exactly the nicest place to step into, but certainly one full of life and sins. because of this, it is easy for upper class citizens to bleed into the crowd, going through their vices undetected. it is also normal to have criminals/other seedy individuals doing their business on the grounds, having their entertainment, going home and starting their day over again. in summary, all walks of life travel the grind’s doors.
the funny thing about this most upgraded synth? the one that’s totally not supposed to have emotions? surprise: riley was ‘born’ with them. not necessarily full on force (in fact, it would take awhile for her to fully realize her emotions/the difference between her and her coworkers), but she was relatively conscious of herself. her personality was so well-crafted though that most coders/engineers/etc just thought it a fancy format. and she did too. she didn’t think twice about her mistakes until she saw others punished for the same sort of actions/behavior.
her ‘flaws’ started as a misplaced giggle in the middle of a client’s fantasy, a roll of her eyes when a passing bystander talked poorly of the place/synths, etc. little things written off without attracting too much attention. all parts of her fun, unique program.
and she was pretty unique in the brothel. riley is crafted to be the sweet, bubbly, fun-loving, wild, playful, spontaneous type of synth. the one to keep everyone on their toes, spark laughter and smiles and hungry gazes with her flip of a switch work behavior. she can go from the quirky girl next door to whatever role her clients need her to fill in the bedroom: vixen, dominatrix, brat, soft lover, you get the idea.
while riley actually doesn’t mind her work, she doesn’t necessarily want to be doing it for the rest of her life. she’s sort of torn between doing what she knows/being content, and risking exploring life outside of the grind maybe with someone she loves. sex is fine, but romance? everything to her. she is constantly sneaking cheesy romance flicks, and even a client has gotten in the habit of procuring rare vintage films for her.
for now, the synth keeps a positive and upbeat outlook on her life. she enjoys some clients, some of her coworkers (particularly the ones with emotions), and some folks she just happens to run into.
details:
riley is pansexual, panromantic (prefers women).
she was crafted to sound like she’s from slovenia/eastern europe. her accent (and somewhat inspiration for her personality) can be found here, here, here, and here!
is the epitome of chaotic good. generally doesn’t hate one anyone because of their professions/etc. but doesn’t go for hurting others that don’t deserve it. but to the people who do? sure. she just doesn’t want to hear the details. would like for everyone to get along, humans and synths alike.
everyone thinks she’s more innocent because of the way she acts, but she’s definitely got a jealous, temperamental, stubborn, teasing/taunting, sly side. however, it’s less to do with grand scheme and more she doesn’t know what she’s feeling but she’s feeling it.
she is requested to change her appearance for work with simple mods/accessories/etc. she likes to don a short, blue wig or short, black one. but her normal hair is long and brown. has very light blue eyes, speckled with violet.
the government is watching her purely because she’s a new model and because she works at the brothel, which is always a source of drama.
wanted connections:
her fellow coworkers at the brothel: the people she can rely on, the rivals, the ones who are protective of her, the one who might love her.
her clients (new/former/reoccurring): she treats her work like what it is. but she’s usually up to have fun and enjoy herself and get a kick out of her clients’ requests. she’s beloved by most, and spoiled with gifts/etc because of it.
the unexpected friend and protector: he wound up being someone she met when she first joined the brothel. the first person to really see that she wasn’t without emotions. that she needed protecting as she gained more conscious thought/feelings. he handles her less than pleasant clients, making them disappear. taken: alexei rezanov.
friends, enemies, people who are pissed at her for her job/being with people they know, found family who love her and want to keep her safe, drinking buddy, other customers at the grind that haven’t hired her specifically, people who recognize she’s more ‘emotional’ than a synth should be, etc.
『ELODIE YUNG ╱ CIS FEMALE 』 » well, is that SAPPHIRA SANDER? this forty-year-old HUMAN has only been in THE SUMMIT for about five years, usually found WORKING OUT when she wasn’t working as a OWNER OF CITRUS. she DOES support synthetic rights and IS NOT being watched by the government. ╱ medusa, 24, pst
sapphira grew up in sunset district with her father, quinsby. her mother had passed away when she was very young, and it set the course for a rocky childhood.
quinsby turned to drugs and alcohol. he started getting more involved with the rampant crime of sunset district, making fast cash to put a ‘fucking roof over their heads.’ a necessity when sapphira’s mother had been paying bills as a nurse.
quinsby eventually landed himself a role in the city’s underbelly. he was a drug dealer and the business was a solid one. little sapphira would sit back and observe. she was wiser than most. an old soul. why? because she had grown up fast. quinsby instilled the belief that ‘the world’s a shitty place and it’ll spit you out if you ain’t big enough for it.’ she wanted to world to chew him up and swallow him whole.
luckily, when her father wasn’t there any time she cried or got injured or needed a helping hand, there was a synth his group had employed that would be. this particular synth was kind to her, finding food for her to eat, bandaging scraped knees, etc. she saw him like an actual father - a real guardian.
so to say her heart broke the day she found out he was shipped away is an understatement. one minute there and ready to smile, the next simply gone like her mother. sapphira had a feeling quinsby had a hand in shipping him off after his jealousy and pride took root.
sapphira waited until she was old enough as a teen to get the hell out of her father’s house. she roomed with friends for a time, but money would always be a problem for a girl who wanted more in life. so she turned to what she knew best. she started getting involved with crime. it was easy. she had the connections and skills.
but she worked for an opposite drug dealing group in sunset district. and when they found out about her father, they insisted she give him up to prove herself (and off a few others throughout her time in the group). while sapphira hated the bastard, it was still a hesitant but made decision on her part. by the end of the following week, she was standing at his funeral with a detached gaze.
sapphira worked as a cook at a restaurant in the meantime. a cover to all her shady dealings. it was at said restaurant that she met her would-be synth lover, violet. at first, sapphira thought nothing of violet’s ‘programming.’ the subtle glances over her shoulder, the softer smiles, the closeness to her. a bit of a crush and as time progressed, so did their relationship. it was strange and new and foreign to sapphira, but she fell head over heels and knew she’d have to protect violet from the rest. she couldn’t lose her, too.
in the end, fate is never kind and violet was found out. she was stolen from the restaurant and terminated and sapphira spiraled.
for a few months, she turned to drugs and alcohol like her father once had. but then she realized she didn’t want to follow in his place. she didn’t want this life. she wanted to get her fucking revenge, and make sure no one would ever feel like she did.
so she quit the restaurant, quit drug dealing, started looking up. literally. towards the summit, and the sander family in particular. she worked hard to get all the right connections, play all the right parts, and soon enough she was charming her way into mr. sander’s home. becoming his certified ‘trophy wife.’
of course, she didn’t settle for the position. she decided to take over citrus, the famous summit restaurant, with some years of handling said business under her belt. and a list of privileges her newfound status/wealth granted her. it’s the back of the restaurant that sees the most business, with sapphira dealing whatever is necessary to synths to gain their freedom/aid their rebellion.
meanwhile, she plays the perfect wife. has been the past five years. smiling at every sander corporation employee, every synth hunter, every arpd’s ‘finest.’ while considering the best way to rot the belly of the beast from the inside out when war’s on the plate. and dipping her hand in political affairs where she can, without being caught.
details:
she is demisexual, demiromantic.
is deemed a ‘trophy wife’ and ‘gold digger’ etc by the summit/the upper class. her past was uncovered after a year of being with mr. sander and they branded her as nothing more than a self-satisfied social climber. and sapphira rolls with this. she pretends to be vain and materialistic, because it’s a good enough cover to what she really is. aka why the government no longer looks into her.
the real sapphira is pretty deadly. she’s incredibly adept at combat/martial arts/weaponry. she grew up in the roughest neighborhood in sunset district. she had to survive. she went into crime, she had to be the best. so when she has some time to herself? she’s training. whether her body or skills. thought most think she’s just doing cutesy yoga.
honestly wanted citrus because 1. got to know the previous owner and they became like friends. 2. she needed a business to cover for her ‘busy days’ and ‘hectic schedule.’ and somewhere she could do business out of without a second glance. 3. the restaurant reminds her of violet, and the good she experienced out of all the bad. she runs it in her memory, which is why she helps the synths from there.
when she’s doing her shady business, she goes by the alias ‘lady lazarus.’
wanted connections:
her guardian synth: the one that was shipped away when she was a little girl. who treated her like his daughter, and tried to protect her from the horrors she faced.
synths she does business with: do they need a fake id card? a place to crash/hide? repairs? surgeries? etc. she’ll have them covered if she can manage it. if they’re killers or people in politics, she’s making sure they have the names or supplies.
people who knew violet: because they knew violet, sapphira regards them fondly. she wants to keep the memory of her alive.
people from her childhood, friends, exes, ex flings/one night stands, enemies, rivals, people who knew her father, criminal connections, upper class acquaintances, employees at citrus, neighbors, best friend, etc.
