Violent Violet

Karma (Re:Vamp RP)

[caniscarnificare]

karma-kameleon​:

This was… not going the way Karma had planned. It was funny as hell, though, to watch the other volph jump at the grocery bags swirling in the air, and she couldn’t help but let out a musical laugh to be carried away on the wind.

They needed to get moving though. There was no way they hadn’t been seen already, but as long as they didn’t leave a blazing trail back to the commune, she could deal with the consequences later.

Later, she’d remember this as one of the tamer things for people to gawk at during the storm.

With a little more effort, she scooped up the groceries from the other cart and juggled them along with the rest. This would be slower going, but she’d manage.

Stealth, she reminded her new old friend as she took off into the night. You can’t catch the wind if it can see you.

Stealth. Did Panda know that–she slowed a moment, thought, trying to marry concepts and feelings. Ah, right. Secret, safe, like Sato always wanted her to be.

To be invisible would be difficult, hard. Her body was likely to fall apart if she tried to make it like Karma, or stretch it too far. It was something she didn’t understand but had accepted, for now, that her voice was gone and her form less mutable, that she had trouble phasing through objects.

But.

She could be a dog.

It was a little bit of a struggle, especially keeping her head attacked, but she’d kept the ribbon and mostly the same form, so when she reverted back to a too-large, off-color german shepherd, her neck split for only a brief moment. Then she was simply a bit too large and her paw prints glowed.

Baby steps.

That done, she knew she was falling behind, and bolted after Karma on the wind.

[karma-kameleon]

Karm didn't get too far ahead. Once they'd made it through the busy streets and out into the woods, she swirls around the other volph, guiding her forward more than running from her.

At this pace, they'll have a long run ahead of them. She does her best to keep the freezing wind away from her companion.

[caniscarnificare]

karma-kameleon​:

Karma’s eyes glimmered with amusement. Thank you, dear friend. But that’s not the game tonight.

With a wink, the larger volph vanished in a shower of violet sparks, which were swept up by a sudden whirlwind. One by one, each of the shopping bags in her cart followed, tossed high into the air.

Follow me, darling. Tonight, we are the wind.

A new shape! Pandora saw it and did not think she could do it. She’d had…trouble, lately, with keeping forms. Changing them. Human and volph and dog had been as far as she’d ventured.

But that didn’t matter! Karma was giving her permission to chase! The big blue and orangle volph, heedless of any onlookers, chased the dancing bags along the wind.

[karma-kameleon]

This was... not going the way Karma had planned. It was funny as hell, though, to watch the other volph jump at the grocery bags swirling in the air, and she couldn't help but let out a musical laugh to be carried away on the wind.

They needed to get moving though. There was no way they hadn't been seen already, but as long as they didn't leave a blazing trail back to the commune, she could deal with the consequences later.

Later, she'd remember this as one of the tamer things for people to gawk at during the storm.

With a little more effort, she scooped up the groceries from the other cart and juggled them along with the rest. This would be slower going, but she'd manage.

Stealth, she reminded her new old friend as she took off into the night. You can't catch the wind if it can see you.

[caniscarnificare]

karma-kameleon​:

Yes, run.

Karma nudged the shopping cart.

I’m taking these to a safe place, to friends. Quietly.

She made a gesture of humility.

Will you help?

Panda inspected the shopping cart, the contents inside. Truly, she wanted to eat them. But if they were part of a larger game, something with friends, then she’d best not. For right now.

Her front paws went back to the cart and she pushed it, sending it rolling a little too fast forward. She landed on her paws, walked over, and looked to Karma for approval.

[karma-kameleon]

Karma's eyes glimmered with amusement. Thank you, dear friend. But that's not the game tonight.

With a wink, the larger volph vanished in a shower of violet sparks, which were swept up by a sudden whirlwind. One by one, each of the shopping bags in her cart followed, tossed high into the air.

Follow me, darling. Tonight, we are the wind.

[caniscarnificare]

karma-kameleon​:

“Wh-”

Karma’s annoyance faltered, then faded away altogether as she nuzzled back.

I missed you too.

She pulled away sooner than she wanted to. A reunion like should never be rushed, but they didn’t have much of a choice.

We can’t stay here long. Too much attention will bring the- the Regulators. Do you know about them?

It was a difficult word to convey in volph. Regulation was an alien enough concept in itself. The best she could do was to send across the idea of vampire cruelty, but worse.

Pandora lacked the complexities in communication most volphs had grasped. She could provide emotions and simple ideas through touch and posture, but the rest of her was as mute as her human form.

But the physicality of a volph was still complex enough to answer back, more or less.

Yes. Run? Ears high, the dark blue wolf peered around the cars, looking for vampires, but worse. She took a deep sniff in, but smelled only humans, and a few various alien persons she’d not met yet to categorize. Her tail wagged. Safe, said her questionable judgment.

[karma-kameleon]

Yes, run.

Karma nudged the shopping cart.

I'm taking these to a safe place, to friends. Quietly.

She made a gesture of humility.

Will you help?

[caniscarnificare]

karma-kameleon​:

Karma didn’t comment on the other volph’s behavior, instead silently leading them to a far corner of the parking lot where she could be reasonably certain they wouldn’t be bothered.

Then she rounded on them, volph form, full height, staring down at them with an authoritative air.

“You’re new here, aren’t you?”

Oh! Oh!! They could be volph in public? Was Satō wrong? Exciting!

Panda was now herself again, as rapidly as a snap of fingers, and with far less care for being hidden. With enthusiasm, she went to nuzzle her snout against Karma.

Friend! I missed you.

[karma-kameleon]

"Wh-"

Karma's annoyance faltered, then faded away altogether as she nuzzled back.

I missed you too.

She pulled away sooner than she wanted to. A reunion like should never be rushed, but they didn't have much of a choice.

We can't stay here long. Too much attention will bring the- the Regulators. Do you know about them?

It was a difficult word to convey in volph. Regulation was an alien enough concept in itself. The best she could do was to send across the idea of vampire cruelty, but worse.

[caniscarnificare]

karma-kameleon​:

“She,” Karma corrected. She may not have any actual idea how this volph identified themself, but she’d already made something up and no one was gonna misgender her dog.

“And she would never hurt anyone, she’s just restless because of the snow. And no one was hurt. So we’ll be going now.” She started heading into the parking lot, still pulling the two carts behind her.

“Come on, Biscuit. We’re going home.”

The human shopper, far more concerned with getting her groceries home than some stranger with a misbehaving shepherd dog moved on with irritated grumbling, no doubt about to make some kind of social media post about irresponsible owners leaving their dogs to harass strangers. Panda, ignorant to all of this, happily padded off after Karma. After all, this was a Friend she hadn’t seen in time.

She was already slightly off-color as a shepherd, and the more she spent time, the more little issues started to leak through–leaving quickly fading orange paw prints, the glow to her mouth and eyes and inside her ears, and the way she started getting bigger.

Not realizing this could be a problem, Panda decided to ‘help.’ She hopped up on her back legs and leaned her front on the back cart, and pushed.

[karma-kameleon]

Karma didn't comment on the other volph's behavior, instead silently leading them to a far corner of the parking lot where she could be reasonably certain they wouldn't be bothered.

Then she rounded on them, volph form, full height, staring down at them with an authoritative air.

"You're new here, aren't you?"

[caniscarnificare]

karma-kameleon​:

Karma glided through the crowded grocery store, two full shopping carts in tow, one in front, one behind, as easily as you please. It was earning her some stares - and glares - especially when she slid into the only open checkout. But it wasn’t the kind of attention that would turn dangerous, so she didn’t particularly care. Homecoming needed supplies for the snow that was on its way, and she didn’t have time to fuck around with these humans.

There was a commotion over at Customer Service as she began scanning and bagging. Something about a stray dog outside. By the time she was done, two more people had stalked over to add their own complaints.

Still, not her concern. Earth canines were far outside her comfort zone. Especially the domesticated ones, who smelled and thought strangely. She had no interest in getting involved with this one.

Until she was making her way past the storm brewing inside the store and preparing to face the larger one out in the open, and caught the faint, familiar scent of another volph.

Fuck. This was the dangerous kind of attention. The kind she couldn’t ignore. She stalked out through the front doors just in time to find the fool startling another woman out of her groceries.

“Oh my god,” she said in her best exasperated tone. “Muffin, what are you doing? Bad dog!” She shook her finger at the other volph, at the same time sending her a wordless thought to the effect of, ‘This is the game now. Play along if you know what’s good for you.’

“I’m so sorry!” she said to the human, helping her pick up her scattered items. “She’s usually so well-behaved!”

A new game?

Panda didn’t even take stock of how this volph had spoken to her in a human form (she was a volph, couldn’t be anything else) like a volph did as, well, a volph, instead leaning into the game. It had come with a little bit of a threat, sure, but a vaporvolph wouldn’t hurt her.

It had happened before. It would happen again.

But, now she saw the game. Instead of keeping the food she scared the witless shopper into dropping, she scooped it up in her jaws and brought it back over. Weird game, when she could be eating this box of poptarts. She loved poptarts. By the time the human snatched the box away, she was drooling a little.

“You need to keep your dog on a leash! And–you have him out here in this weather?” The woman sputtered, reorganizing her bags. She must have bought a lot of thing in plastic packaging, because there wasn’t anything for Panda to chomp, not even a stray orange or muffin.

[karma-kameleon]

"She," Karma corrected. She may not have any actual idea how this volph identified themself, but she'd already made something up and no one was gonna misgender her dog.

"And she would never hurt anyone, she's just restless because of the snow. And no one was hurt. So we'll be going now." She started heading into the parking lot, still pulling the two carts behind her.

"Come on, Biscuit. We're going home."

[technorganics]

hugechadboss9000​:

“YOU ASK WISE QUESTIONS.” Ruin came forward and crouched down, the helm fixed on Odie with hawk-like keenness. Hayzeus reflexively had his hand on Karma’s arm and leaned away from the strange alien.

“Your task is simple. You will join my followers and sow chaos at my whim. You will also find me things and clean up sticks around the perimeter.”

“Whooo are your followers?” Hayzeus interjected.

“Four young Earthlings. They have shown me the ways of this world. With Odie’s power over technology, our power will expand!”

“Power?” Hayzeus stared at him, expression scrunching in deep confusion. “You haven’t actually said anything actionable.”

“We like to set off fireworks in the dead of night and spray paint police cars.”

“……Oh.”

Odie processed this all quickly. His requests were unorthodox, but so had all been of her since leaving her Cetic. She wasn’t designed for any of this, yet she adapted. She liked to be helpful.

However…

“I’m not designed for Chaos.” Odie sighed regretfully. “I do not think I can cause it on purpose. I also do not know what technology is involved with fireworks and spray paint.”

Her gaze flit about from Ruin’s intensity to Hayzeus and Karma’s concern. “Are these things I should do?”

[karma-kameleon]

"Not without a purpose."

Karma's assessment of this stranger had changed. When they'd first met, he'd been sinister and threatening. Now...

"This all seems pretty pointless. And juvenile." She folded her arms. "Unless you're trying to get the Regs on your ass."

[caniscarnificare]

Snow Supplies

A slightly off-color and too large german shepherd with a scarf tied about her neck sat on the sidewalk outside a grocery store, eating an entire carton of eggs someone had dropped. Shell and yolk alike were devoured, the paper of the container only spared because she had been taught that it wasn’t ‘food’.

Panda had found a new game–if she sat outside a grocery store and jumped out at the shoppers as they exited (a play jump! with a bow and a butt wiggle and a wagging tail) they would often make a comical little yelping noise, and drop something delicious. Sometimes, it was in a package, so they retrieved it and went on their way. Sometimes, it was a whole slew of eggs, and Panda got to learn about the weird, slimy texture as the person stomped back inside, cursing whomever had ‘left their dog’ outside.

Panda didn’t know it was a mean trick, or that she was lucky no one had chased her off or called the dog catcher or kicked her with a snow boot or cried. She had been careful not to jump at small children or people holding babies, because those, she knew, were very fragile. Also they often gave her food of their own accord (she’d had several cookies in the vague shape of other animals), so they didn’t need the fake pounce.

She just knew a lot of people were pulling in and out of the grocery store with a bit of frantic energy.

The telltale sound of the automatic doors announced to Panda that she would soon get another treat–but she only noticed her latest target smelled human after she’d leapt forward to get a bag to spill.

[karma-kameleon]

Karma glided through the crowded grocery store, two full shopping carts in tow, one in front, one behind, as easily as you please. It was earning her some stares - and glares - especially when she slid into the only open checkout. But it wasn't the kind of attention that would turn dangerous, so she didn't particularly care. Homecoming needed supplies for the snow that was on its way, and she didn't have time to fuck around with these humans.

There was a commotion over at Customer Service as she began scanning and bagging. Something about a stray dog outside. By the time she was done, two more people had stalked over to add their own complaints.

Still, not her concern. Earth canines were far outside her comfort zone. Especially the domesticated ones, who smelled and thought strangely. She had no interest in getting involved with this one.

Until she was making her way past the storm brewing inside the store and preparing to face the larger one out in the open, and caught the faint, familiar scent of another volph.

Fuck. This was the dangerous kind of attention. The kind she couldn't ignore. She stalked out through the front doors just in time to find the fool startling another woman out of her groceries.

"Oh my god," she said in her best exasperated tone. "Muffin, what are you doing? Bad dog!" She shook her finger at the other volph, at the same time sending her a wordless thought to the effect of, 'This is the game now. Play along if you know what's good for you.'

"I'm so sorry!" she said to the human, helping her pick up her scattered items. "She's usually so well-behaved!"

[tapireye-deactivated20220708]

Vintage Moschino Fall 1989 Leather Jacket with Floral Appliqué Details

[technorganics]

karma-kameleon​:

“That’s enough, sweetie,” Karma said softly once the show was over. “You did good. Relax for now.”

She glanced quickly at the idol, then looked to Hayzeus. “What was that?”

hugechadboss9000​:

Hayzeus watched the memory with his mouth ajar, confused and awed. “I don’t know,” he muttered. “Keep that recording, Odie. We’ll show it to our new friends, they might have an idea. I…” He sighed, taking off his glasses to rub his eye. “I think Charlie mentioned something like this.”

“There is a violent BEAST in these woods?” Ruin barked.

“…Yes. Meaning–thank you for pointing it out–Odie can’t stay here. We can’t stay here.”

“But she serves me now. She must stay.”

“No- okay, haha, couple points there,” Hayzeus said, raising a finger. “She doesn’t serve you or anyone and she already has a home.”

“I did say I would serve him,” Odie supplied unhelpfully. Her shivers subsided as she found something new to focus on, her head leaning on Karma’s shoulder. “But he will still let me do my two part time jobs, so I will have to leave at times.”

[karma-kameleon]

Karma let out a frustrated sigh.

Odie was smart, but work and service meant different things to her than they did to most other people. On this planet, anyway. Karma worried that it made the tech goddess easy to take advantage of.

"Did you make this agreement under duress?" she tried to ask patiently. "Cause that's not legally binding. Did you sign a contract?"

[technorganics]

karma-kameleon​:

Karma shook the sparks out of her eyes as the thunderclap faded. Her hand immediately broke contact with the Idol’s, but while Hayzeus rushed over to Odie, she made her way more cautiously, taking the time to survey their surroundings.

They were still in danger, after all. But what kind? And where would it come from?

When she reached the pair, she carefully took Odie’s solar panel and held it up to the sun. Her other arm wrapped protectively around her injured friend. “It’s gonna be alright, hun. We got you now.”

A dragon? Why would a dragon do this?

That mystery could wait. For now, the volph trained her eyes on the immediate threat of the Ruinous Idol. He had the three of them where he wanted them. What would he do now?

hugechadboss9000​:

“The rocks…” Hayzeus repeated in a rush of breath. Odie never intentionally got in trouble, but when she did, she had to be ripped in half. He shook his head and looked her in the face. “You’re sure it was a ‘dragon’? What’d it look like?”

“I AM ALSO CURIOUS,” Ruin interrupted from his spot several feet away.

Odie’s blue skin gained more saturation as Karma held the solar panel to the light, the pale spots pulsing in a pattern that would communicate happiness to those who knew her well. This lasted only until it was time to relive the attack in more detail. Her ease in the presence of her friends gained an edge, a flash of fear. She’d wanted to leave it all behind.

Dutifully, her wing visor slid over her eyes, and she lifted her remaining hand. With a slight wave, she projected a screen, a rectangle hologram like a television. It had a blue glow to it, and it flickered as she adjusted it to work properly in the level of light in the forest. Her own color dimmed as she diverted power, but the panel helped.

Shortly, she projected the incident from her point of view. It played on the screen in sharp colors, occasionally switching between Odie’s visor view and her unaided vision, providing readings on the ‘dragon’ in a foreign language. It could be a little disorienting to view, as Odie adjusted frame speed on the fly and sometimes in as little as milliseconds.

But there it was, the pile of rocks that became a dragon, of sorts, and lured Odie in until it lunged and bit, and Odie fled. When it ended, and Odie removed the screen, she was shivering in Karma’s embrace.

[karma-kameleon]

"That's enough, sweetie," Karma said softly once the show was over. "You did good. Relax for now."

She glanced quickly at the idol, then looked to Hayzeus. "What was that?"

[technorganics]

karma-kameleon​:

Karma’s gaze dropped to Ruin’s upturned hands. She could see where this was going. As long as he had Odie hidden away, he was in control of the situation. They’d have to play his game.

She reached out a hand, not bothering to retract the claws it had sprouted, and placed it in one of his open gauntlets.

“Fine. Let’s go.”

hugechadboss9000​:

There was a pit stop, first. Karma and Ruin blipped thirty feet forward in front of Hayzeus, where they grabbed his shoulder. “YOU’RE SLOW.”

The doctor’s shout of surprise split between two locations. As they arrived with a bang back in the forest lair, he stumbled forward and started coughing. “Ow, God, my lungs. Odie!”

He rushed over and fell to his knees to inspect the damage. “Augh, what happened to you? Did that robot hurt you? Karma, move her solar panel to the sun.”

Wide blue eyes whirred softly as she focused on the sudden arrival of her friends, both old and new. What had been worry and confusion at being lost again settled into a soft satisfaction. It didn’t matter where she was; she was found.

Fortunately (unfortunately?) there was not much damage to inspect. With Odie’s skin formed over the wound to keep it safely contaminant free, she looked like a factory mishap of a blue Farbie who hadn’t gotten enough plastic pieces.

“I was hurt by a dragon, not the Ruinous Idol.” Odie replied helpfully, holding her solar panel up with her one available hand. Her head panned to the left and the right slightly, considering. “Not here, but another part of the forest. I was stacking rocks.”

[karma-kameleon]

Karma shook the sparks out of her eyes as the thunderclap faded. Her hand immediately broke contact with the Idol's, but while Hayzeus rushed over to Odie, she made her way more cautiously, taking the time to survey their surroundings.

They were still in danger, after all. But what kind? And where would it come from?

When she reached the pair, she carefully took Odie's solar panel and held it up to the sun. Her other arm wrapped protectively around her injured friend. "It's gonna be alright, hun. We got you now."

A dragon? Why would a dragon do this?

That mystery could wait. For now, the volph trained her eyes on the immediate threat of the Ruinous Idol. He had the three of them where he wanted them. What would he do now?

[hugechadboss9000]

karma-kameleon​:

Karma marched right up to the Idol, not stopping until she had to tilt her head back to look up at him. When she did, her eyes glowed molted gold, her mouth twisted into a snarling smile, too wide and too sharp.

“Wanna test me?”

“Yes,” he answered plainly. The subtle modulation in his voice cut the air like a blade. Hayzeus began to slowly raise his gun, as Ruin spoke again: “However… Odie wants you back alive.”

Ruin rolled his hands over, palms up. “Come here.”

[karma-kameleon]

Karma's gaze dropped to Ruin's upturned hands. She could see where this was going. As long as he had Odie hidden away, he was in control of the situation. They'd have to play his game.

She reached out a hand, not bothering to retract the claws it had sprouted, and placed it in one of his open gauntlets.

"Fine. Let's go."

[hugechadboss9000]

karma-kameleon​:

The second burst of light and sound startled Karma so much that she nearly let go of Hayzeus as she was helping him up. She was quick to react though, and stalked toward Odie’s abductor with a growl in her throat.

“Where is she?”

“She is in my lair,” they answered, tracking Karma’s approach with only the smooth tilt of their head. “You are invited to join her if you are strong enough.”

The helm snapped up and fixed on Hayzeus. He stood, slightly bowed over his aching ribs, the gun hanging loosely in one hand. He looked confused.

“AH. I see this one has survived. What about you, shapeshifter?” Ruin asked. “Are you strong?”

[karma-kameleon]

Karma marched right up to the Idol, not stopping until she had to tilt her head back to look up at him. When she did, her eyes glowed molted gold, her mouth twisted into a snarling smile, too wide and too sharp.

"Wanna test me?"

[hugechadboss9000]

karma-kameleon​:

technorganics​:

If he survived. Odie’s distress increased sharply, which was an unfortunate waste of resources, her inner metrics informed her. She couldn’t help it.

“I need Karma and Hayzeus.” Odie told the Ruinous Idol, ignoring his introduction to the lair despite it being the answer to her question. “I need them.”

Need was incorrect. She wanted them. Or was it correct? She spent most of her life only needing her Cetic. But her Cetic was out of reach and had been for a few years now. She needed her friends. “Please. I need my friends.”

“Fucker teleported away with her.” If Karma’s tone didn’t quite match her words, it was out of relief for Hayzeus. She couldn’t have handled losing both of them.

“I’ve got his scent.” And it was much stronger than Odie’s, though vastly different from anyone she’d encountered before. “We’ll find them.”

Ruin’s head craned down, in silence, Odie’s pleas hanging in the air like the columns of sunlight around them. The statements registered… strangely. Physical need was objective and simple; emotional need tended to not concern him. Somehow, this tasted like both.

He clacked his jaw and the plates on his shoulders rapidly expanded and collapsed. “FEAR NOT. I was not going to leave them for long. I must give them my offer.”

He stood up and unceremoniously vanished. Back in the theater, Hayzeus had just gotten to his feet when the room lit up again and he winced at the piercing electrical crack.

“I’M BACK.”

[karma-kameleon]

The second burst of light and sound startled Karma so much that she nearly let go of Hayzeus as she was helping him up. She was quick to react though, and stalked toward Odie's abductor with a growl in her throat.

"Where is she?"

[technorganics]

karma-kameleon​:

Everything happened in an instant. Before Karma could register it all, Hayzeus was on the ground in a heap and Odie and her captor were… just gone.

She wanted to chase the asshole down and rip out whatever he had for a throat, but Hayzeus was here, and hurt. And she had Ruin’s scent now. She could track him.

She knelt down next to her injured friend, looking him over. “Still alive there, boss?”

hugechadboss9000​:

“Huhhgg…” Hayzeus lifted a hand to his forehead, and then had the wherewithal to check his glasses. Not broken. “…Hurts,” he coughed. “Good to know how it feels if you’re using it, I guess.”

He achingly sat up on an elbow. The front of his shirt was torn open, exposing the combat vest underneath. He would never be caught dead being underprepared.

“Where’d Odie go?”

–

“YES. And if he survived, he is more than welcome to be my servant.” The sword shimmered and collapsed in on itself, disappearing into a wobbly blue-lined black hole. Ruin’s extra arm folded into his back. “This is my lair. It is not permanent. But for now, it suffices.”

If he survived. Odie’s distress increased sharply, which was an unfortunate waste of resources, her inner metrics informed her. She couldn’t help it.

“I need Karma and Hayzeus.” Odie told the Ruinous Idol, ignoring his introduction to the lair despite it being the answer to her question. “I need them.”

Need was incorrect. She wanted them. Or was it correct? She spent most of her life only needing her Cetic. But her Cetic was out of reach and had been for a few years now. She needed her friends. “Please. I need my friends.”

[karma-kameleon]

"Fucker teleported away with her." If Karma's tone didn't quite match her words, it was out of relief for Hayzeus. She couldn't have handled losing both of them.

"I've got his scent." And it was much stronger than Odie's, though vastly different from anyone she'd encountered before. "We'll find them."