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[MadiRaiCat]

November Cullen

Location: Bedroom -> Ballroom

Outfit: x

Interactions: None

Mentions: None

"Go ahead, darling. Do it." Several men in long, white lab coats stood in a semi-circle, each with a clipboard in one hand and pen in the other. They were waiting for something, any action or movement that they could deem worthy of putting into writing. The room surrounding them was average, white white brick walls matching white tile floors, and the only color of accent was the silver cabinets and lab benches strategically placed throughout. The air smelt sharply of disinfectant, or bleach or ammonia or some other strong smelling chemical that frequenters had gotten used to over the years. It was devoid of windows, the lack of natural light given the room a rather haunting ambiance of uneven, yellow-tinged shadows. But to her, it was her home.

The man who had spoken stared expectantly down at a little girl whom couldn't have been older than four or five, a stoic expression on his face. Like the others, he was void of any true emotions, an unbiased science waiting to make an observation. His unwavering gaze met that of the little girl's, her blue eyes willing him to say something, anything so she wouldn't have to do what he asked. "But Daddy," she said, her voice squeaky as she fought back tears, "I don't want to." A single tear fell as she looked back down at the box in her hands. The top was open, and a small bundle of fur moved around in it on top of a pile of cedar shavings. "I don't want to hurt it."

The other researchers glanced at the man, expressions of boredom and annoyance clear on their features. Feeling rather pressured, he stepped forward and crouched in front of her. "That's just your mother getting to you. But, she doesn't understand that you are going to help people. That doing this will help people. You don't want anyone else to get hurt, do you?" Though he didn't say anything else, his tone was rather threatening in nature, causing the little girl's heart to beat rather rapidly. "No, but," she began, but the look in his eyes shut her up almost immediately. "You were born for this, Nova. Now, do it." And so, the little girl reached into the box, a single tear rolling down her cheek as her hand enclosed the mouse, and it was no more.

November Cullen sat up in bed abruptly, sucking in a sharp breath. Her ocean blue eyes were wide with panic, and her heart was racing rather uncomfortably in her chest. Her hands had begun to tremble, all of those things symptoms of an incoming panic attack. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the feelings as far back into the recesses of her mind as she could. Her heart slowed, her hands stilled, her face turned stoic. It was as if she had just turned off any aspect of humanity she seemed to have. It was just a nightmare after all, a memory from her childhood that had a hand in shaping her into the woman she had become. A diligent daughter, a strategic fighter, an obedient soldier.

She climbed out of bed and proceeded to get ready, throwing her blonde hair up into a high ponytail and slipping into a comfortable outfit of combat boots, black leggings, and a grey sweater. It wasn't much, kept her out of the limelight. But that was exactly how she preferred it. Nova was used to living in the shadows, hunting there. Getting noticed the absolute last thing she would have wanted. That day was another event for the asylum, a way to raise funds under the guise of non-profit work helping those that could really help themselves. But underneath the surface, in the recesses of that prison, there were abusers and torturers, sadists and narcissists. Not the patients, but the people running it.

Nova pushed out of her room and walked down the hall, keeping her eyes averted from anyone she passed. As the daughter of two of the asylum's leading scientists as well as a patient with a perfect record of subordination, she was given fairly free reign, even sent into the outside world on missions her father insisted would 'make the world a better place.' It wasn't long before she stepped into the conference area, a large ballroom-like space that the asylum used for its galas and parties. A couple of other patients and a few staff members milled about. But it seemed like she was one of the first people on the set-up crew to arrive. Keeping to herself in true November fashion, she walked over to the stacks of tables and chairs, and began to set them up like she had done a million times before.

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[MadiRaiCat]

Theodore Northcott

Location: Gym -> Bedroom -> Hallway

Outfit: x

Interactions: None

Mentions: None

Loud rock music filled the room, causing the walls to vibrate rather violently. A man stood parallel to a wall of mirrors, a large punching bag hanging in front of him. His hands were covered in synthetic leather boxing gloves, forcing them into fists. One right after the other, he threw several strong punches into the bag, sending it swinging back and forth like a pendulum. He was covered in sweat, and his chest rose and fell rapidly. He knew he was overexerting himself. But if he didn't, the anger and rage would build up inside of him until he couldn't control it any longer. Everyone who knew Theodore Northcott knew that the worst part was when the volcano erupted.

After what seemed like an hour, and probably was, the brunette man sent one last unfocused punch into the bag before letting his arms fall limply to his sides. They felt heavy, as though he was holding free weights. His breathes were sharp and fast, but were slowing down along with his heart. Letting out a sigh, Theo turned to the door of the room, light brown eyes landing on the asylum worker/prison guard that stood there. A familiar burning sensation of rage shot through his veins, but he chose to ignore it for now. He was a bit too tired in that moment to really do anything about it. Taking off the gloves and dropping them on a nearby rack, Theo approached the man, who stiffened as he neared. With a low chuckle, he shook his head and said, "Don't worry, Charles, I'm just heading back to my room. You can tell your friends I'm cooperating."

The one thing that Theo hated most about the asylum was the lack of privacy. As he moved through the halls towards his designated cell, he could feel the prying eyes focused on him, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. It was the one feeling he couldn't shake since being locked away in that place: the feeling of being watched. Deemed early on to be a flight risk with a temper, there wasn't much of a moment that Theodore was alone while out and about. The only true solace he had was in the confines of his own room. As far as he knew, there weren't any security cameras there, and he could truly be alone. So, as Theo pushed into his room, he felt a sense of relaxation wash over him. His heart rate and breathing returned to normal, as though the assault of the punching bag in the gym room minutes before hadn't even happen. It was his oasis.

A few moments later, Theodore stood in front of the full length mirror in his room, assessing himself. He was a meticulous man with an eye for fine details and an expectation that they were perfectly in place. He adjusted the lapels of his blue suit jacket that was perfectly tailored to fit and match his trousers. His brown leather shoes were the same as his belt, all accented by a silver watch and cuff links. Theo was the type of man who always wanted to present himself as best as he could, to exude a sense of power and authority even when he had none. He liked to intimidate, to be in control. Maybe that's what had made him a good businessman. And his stay in the asylum was nothing more than a business deal. Or so he thought.

From what he had seen there, the experiments he was assigned to were minimal in nature. He was lucky. While others were poked and prodded or even far worse, he was simply angered in one way or another and observed from a distance. In some ways, it was rather lonely. Most people he associated with either were making sure he didn't try to leave or avoiding him for fear of his temper. Theo couldn't necessarily blame them. There had been a few times when an asylum worker pushed his buttons a little too hard, and left with more bruises than they had entered with. Forcing those thoughts to the back of his mind, Theodore took one last look at himself and exited his room in the direction of the ballroom area. Because, if he had nothing else he could count on, at least the asylum had good parties.

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Alyssa
Rae
Jenson

Alyssa Rae - The Innocent

Even though it had been about a year since Lyssa was thrown into the asylum, she still wasn't used to how things worked here. And actually, this event that the asylumees were preparing for would be one of Lyssa's first ones. She'd spent the last year getting prepared, mentally and physically for this. Being groomed, rather, even though she hated the phrase. By the time the trial was over, it had dragged on for a good two years, and Lyssa was numb to what was going on around her. But being thrown here had made her blood boil; she wasn't crazy, and she wasn't a murderer.

But of course, no one would listen to her. She'd fought at first, but after being injected with medication after medication to make her submissive and compliant, along with the countless other punishments, she realized that it was just better to listen. So once again, she'd let that numbness settle over her. She was poked and prodded some more, given this medication and that, dressed in clothes that she didn't think suited her at all.

And she was trained to kill.

That was probably the hardest thing to accept out of everything. Though she hadn't killed Gracie, or a real person yet, she knew the time was coming. The last month or so, she'd heard comments from the groomers (for lack of a better term) that the time was coming. And then, about a week ago, the woman who took care of the clothing and hair and all of that presented her with a new dress for the event.

Though she wasn't in it yet, it was currently in her room, just waiting to be put on. But first, she would have to help setup, which possibly was more nerve wracking than the event itself, as she would be interacting with the others like her. So far, she'd only met a few of them, and to be honest, she was nervous about how the rest would treat her. With a soft frown, she glanced down at herself. The outfit she had on currently was quite comfortable, and she knew from experience that was dress was not.

Still, she drew in a shaky breath and made her way down the hallway, though truthfully, she didn't have any idea where she was going. Lost, confused, and wanting to just run and hide under her comforter, she glanced down at her fingers as they twisted together in front of her. Not looking where she was going, she bumped right into something. Her head jerked up as she tumbled backwards, automatically reaching out to grab something to not fall.

Turns out, that something was the someone in front of her. "Oh god-- I'm sorry." She snatched her hand back, but still took a few steps away from him, looking down. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

mentions: Theo ( MadiRaiCat )

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Elijah
Rayne
Williams

Elijah Rayne - The Protector

"Yo, E! Take these to the bar, would you?"

Elijah glanced up from the sink where he'd been washing a few dishes, noting the man that was speaking. He was one of the security guards that roamed the facility, one of the nicer ones. Pulling his hands from the dish water, Eli nodded at him. "Sure thing, boss." Drying his hands on the apron he wore, he slipped the thing from over his head and hung it on the rack before moving to the container of dishes.

Glancing at the box, he couldn't help but lift a brow upon realizing they were pretty much brand new. Large plates, smaller ones, and new glassware. It'd take him a few trips, but he didn't mind. Tonight's party was still a few hours away, and he already knew he'd be bartending anyway. It was his normal job because he was actually good at it, though that wasn't the only thing he did around here.

No one here had just one job. Eli bartended alot but he was also a patient, someone who wasn't allowed to leave the facility. He had the same skills as the other patients, but that also meant the same baggage, along with his own. If one of the clients wanted Eli, then he'd be taken out from behind the bar to entertain. It wouldn't be the first time, and likely not the last.

Hoisting the first box up, Elijah left the kitchen area and headed for the conference room. He took the box behind the bar and set it down, then went back for the next. A few trips later he'd finally gotten them all there, and he knew without being told that they needed to be unpacked and wiped clean before being used. He set to doing that, absentmindedly leaning against the bar in the back of the room as he did so.

His eyes flicked up to see who else was in the room setting up. He spotted November and his eyes watched her for a moment before falling back down to the next plate. He knew her and most of the others in the room, and even though later on this room would be a hubbub of activity, right now it was silent. He hated silence, though he'd grown to accept it and act as though it didn't bother him.

"How was your day, November?" He asked casually when she came near him to grab another chair or two. It was a stupid question, but it was also the first one he'd thought of.

mentions: November ( MadiRaiCat )

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[MadiRaiCat]

November Cullen

Location: Ballroom

Outfit: x

Interactions: Elijah ( apolla )
Mentions: None

It was almost like muscle memory, unfolding chairs and tables before draping them in silky white covers to give an ambience of luxury. The furniture was evenly placed across the floor, each perfectly separated to another until they opened into a semi-circle that encompassed the designated dance floor area. White paper cards containing names inked in black calligraphy were placed in front of each chair, each designating the spot of some wealthy so-called 'do-gooder' that would be in attendance that evening. The blonde girl read each name as she placed the card, wondering if they were victim or abuser, innocent or guilty. Would they make it through the night? Or would their name card be clandestinely slipped into her hand, staking them for a certain death? Whatever their fate, November told herself not to care even though she knew, deep down, she would no doubt feel their pain.

It had thankfully been a while since her last 'encounter,' as she so eloquently called them. The last one had been a rather hard one for her, an entire family slated for death by her hands. There weren't any young children, which was a relief. But, the daughter was around the same age that November was, making it exceedingly harder to watch her die. Nova was much more sensitive, more emotional than she let on. Whatever experiments her father did on her, it made her the perfect soldier. Obedient to a fault, unable and afraid to say no to anyone in a position of authority over her. However, as she had grown older, she had come to realize that her parents were the one overarching authority she abided by. Her father ordered death and her mother made her atone for what she had done. It was a vicious cycle that her head couldn't really keep up with. So she let it happen, because what other choice did she have?

Deep in thought, Nova had just picked up the last chair to set up when she felt someone watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and ocean blue eyes scanned the room in search of the culprit. After a short moment, she met the gaze of another patient. She knew him as Elijah, another patient and frequent bartender for the galas. He was the type of man that she wasn't quite sure why he was there. Sure, he had another job aside from that, something that was less savory. But they all did. That was the whole point of the asylum: to take what the wealthy deemed as the scum of the Earth, and use them for their own pleasures and devices. "My day?" November repeated, not used to being conversational with other patients. Sure, she could flip a switch and speak to donors, seduce and entrance them with ease to get close enough. But that was all a facade. "I guess fine. I just woke up from a nap not that long ago," the blonde continued, her tone rather dry. Feeling as though she had to return the favor, she asked, "How about you? Ready for tonight's event?"

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[MadiRaiCat]

Theodore Northcott

Location: Hallway

Outfit: x

Interactions: Alyssa ( apolla )
Mentions: None

It had been several years since Theo began that job as a businessman's assistant. He shouldn't have been hired, and he knew that. In fact, he later found out that the only reason he got the job to begin with was that he was the only male that applied. And his boss's wife would be damned if she let him have another affair with a female assistant. He didn't have the experience that the others who applied undoubtedly had. But, he could promise her he wouldn't sleep with her husband. That's all it took. Had he known then what he knew now, Theodore would have avoided that top floor consulting firm with every fiber of his being. His paid-for college education and well-padded bank account were not worth losing his freedom, in that he firmly believed.

He slipped his hands into the pocket as he walked down the hallway, chin held high and shoulders back. Theo was a man who exuded confidence. Even though he was a patient, supposedly on the bottom of the totem pole, people parted to let him through like the Red Sea. The brunette didn't completely understand why, if he were to be honest. Sure, he was known to be fairly violent. He had thrown chairs through glass windows and punched large holes in walls. He was strong and agile, could move people out of his way with ease. It took several workers at the asylum to restrain him. But aside from property damage and a few bruises to those so-called guards, he had never seriously injured anyone. And, truthfully, he wasn't quite sure he ever could. That being said, Theodore knew what some of the others were being forced into in the asylum, how some were forced to kills, some gave themselves away, and others were sold to the highest bidder. He could only assume that the asylum had a plan for him as well.

A hard bump into his side pulled Theodore from his thoughts causing him to turn towards the source of the force. If he were a cartoon character, he was sure there would be flames in his eyes and smoke fuming from his ears. The jolt caused his heart to race and adrenaline to pump through his veins again like fire, absolute rage coursing through his body. Someone had the nerve to bump into him, Theodore Northcott? The brunette man looked down, dark brown eyes glaring at the person who had grabbed on to him to steady themselves. But like water putting out a flame, the look on her face immediately calming him. Something about the look on her face, what seemed to be a mixture of confusion, fear, and sadness, quelled the beast that resided in him. It was strange, an interesting feeling he didn't quite understand. Theo helped steady her before returning his hands to his pockets. "It's no problem," he answered, his face stoic but his tone gentle, "I don't believe we've met. I'm Theo. You are?"

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Hallway

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Alyssa
Rae
Jenson

Alyssa Rae - The Innocent

Lyssa knew that eventually she would have to interact with the others, but since her arrival about a year ago, she hadn't had to do that at all yet. And even within the last month or so, she'd only seen a few of them, and she'd been able to avoid alot of interaction thus far. But it would seem that today was the magical day, as she'd rounded a corner and walked right into a very hard chest. She'd automatically reached out to steady herself, though once she'd realized that it was a person she was grabbing, she'd let go and stepped back.

It didn't help matters that she'd seen the look in his eyes. She'd practically been able to see the flames in his eyes and the smoke coming from his ears upon realizing that someone had walked into him. Not to mention, she was tiny compared to him, and if he wanted to reach out and hurt her he definitely could. She had no idea who he was, and he didn't know her. What if his intentions were murderous? What if this was it, and she'd been brought here and groomed only to die in this hallway? She didn't want to imagine that, but she couldn't help but see the scene before her eyes as she held her breath, waiting for him to speak.

When he did, however, his tone didn't match the look she'd seen in his eyes. Slowly, she flicked her gaze back up to look at him, noticing that the look was gone from his eyes. The cold, angry one she'd seen before. And he'd reached out to help her steady herself, which she was grateful for. He introduced himself, and she drew in a shaky breath as she fully tilted her head back to look at him. "Lyssa." She finally responded, wrapping her arms around herself. "Alyssa, I mean. But you can call me Lyssa." She had the question on her tongue, wondering if he was a patient too, but she bit it back. "I was looking for the conference room. I'm supposed to be... helping, I guess."

mentions: Theo ( MadiRaiCat )

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Elijah
Rayne
Williams

Elijah Rayne - The Protector

Elijah wasn't always a big talker, but he was one of the nicer people around, and he did like conversation at times. He didn't like forced conversation, or anything like that, but he'd made more than one patient feel at home here. Or if not at home, at least help some with the transition. In fact, he was quite good at it because of his peaceful, calm demeanor. He could wield a weapon still and take a life, but he much preferred his role as bartender because it was easier. Easier on the mind, at least. He could easily get lost in mixing drinks, and not think about anything for hours.

November had been here since he'd arrived, though Eli didn't know much about her. They hadn't interacted much, really, though he'd watched her set up for many events before this one. She made him curious, which could be dangerous, but it wasn't like he planned for things to get serious or anything like that. Relationships among patients were strictly forbidden, but friendships were not. And in a place like this, Eli felt that having friends was better than being alone. He didn't reveal alot about himself to just anyone, which he felt that alot of others were the same. Knowledge in a place like this could also be dangerous.

He couldn't help but grin when she responded, stating that she'd woken up from a nap not too long ago. "That sounds nice." He told her honestly, setting one of the boxes he'd brought in onto the bar. He started opening it, throwing away the filling as he started pulling out new glassware and plates and such. She asked about his day in return and he paused, glancing over at her. He knew he'd asked the same question, but coming from her he realized just how dumb it was. Chuckling, he moved the now empty box aside, coming around to her side of the bar to grab a stack of plates. "Fine as well, I guess. I trained earlier in the gym, and now I'm here. Ready as I'll ever be."

mentions: November ( MadiRaiCat )

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[MadiRaiCat]

November Cullen

Location: Ballroom

Outfit: x

Interactions: Elijah ( apolla )
Mentions: None

After spending her entire life in the asylum, homeschooled by various scientists and having little contact with the outside world, normal small talk conversations were not really November's forte. She could pick up on social cues and what not, but only because they had taught her the science behind them, and so she knew what to look for. After all, it was all psychology. Body language, facial expressions, micro-movements, all were pieces to a puzzle that helped her unravel the ins and outs of someone's mind, which was particularly useful in her line of work. And so, entirely instinctively, she began to notice little things about Elijah. Though his eyes seemed honest, she could tell that there was something more behind them, something that he was hiding possibly even from himself. It intrigued her, but not enough to risk her own exposure.

"Yeah, nice," Nova responded, pausing in between the two words as she thought a bit about her nap earlier. In truth, it wasn't all that nice. The reoccurring nightmares she had about her childhood, the experiments, her kills. At first, she woke up screaming, panicking, needing to be sedated in order to fall back asleep. But now, an entire lifetime later, she was used to it. As sad as that was, she no longer woke up in terror. Instead, the worst of it was a shot of adrenaline every now and again. Another patient came up to her, muttering under their breath as they took the chair from her hands to set up. The blonde nodded in appreciation, but said nothing to them. The other patient didn't so much as make eye contact with her. Maybe they had heard the stories about her, knew the horrific details of what she did. Or maybe they just knew she was the daughter of two of the asylum's scientists and didn't trust her. Whatever the case, November didn't really care. She deserved to be alone anyway.

Elijah moved around to the front of the bar near her, and she had to resist the urge to flinch from the proximity. Though she wasn't the best at picking up social cues, she could tell that there was some awkward tension in the air. "Training sounds... nice," she responded, unsure what else to say. To cover up the strangeness of the situation, Nova picked up a tray of glasses and silverware before heading over to as a table. She began to put out place settings, perfectly arranging the napkins, silverware, and glasses and leaving room for the plates that Eli would probably bring over. Just as she placed the last butter knife, a hand was placed on her shoulder and a folded piece of paper placed into her palm. November froze for a moment, letting one of her father's assistants leave before slipping the piece of paper into her pocket. Glancing back at Eli, she asked, "How long have been here?"

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[MadiRaiCat]

Theodore Northcott

Location: Hallway -> Ballroom

Outfit: x

Interactions: Alyssa ( apolla )
Mentions: None

Theodore Northcott had never been a patient man, nor was he known for his acts of generosity and collection. In the business industry, he was ruthless, cold, taking what would better his own firm without regard for consequences or other people's advantages. Some might say he was impatient, inflexible, apathetic, and a micromanager. But he just thought that he was being thorough, and good at his job. It was ironic, to be honest. Growing up, he had always told himself that he would never be like his father, wouldn't treat people the way his father treated him. Subconsciously, he knew that that wasn't the case, that he was headed down the exact path he wanted to avoid. He just chose to ignore it for now.

Theo could tell by the look in her eyes that she had seen the anger in him, if only for a moment. He avoided addressing his anger as best he could, not wanting to admit that there was something wrong with him, that he deserved to be there. She seemed afraid of him and, while that was generally a good thing in the business world, it struck differently there. When she returned her gaze to his, she seemed to take a breath to calm herself. It was weird, but he actually felt bad for a moment that he had frightened her. But, his pride prevented him from saying so. With a charming grin, Theodore nodded and said, "Nice to meet you Lyssa, though I'm sure we would both rather it be in a different location."

Alyssa was pretty, petite, and he realized that he didn't think he had seen her before. Though he hadn't been there too terribly long, each day felt like a year. Maybe she was new as well. "Well, looks like we are going to the same place then. It's right through those doors," Theodore responded, removing one hand from his pocket to gesture to a pair of solid wood double doors. They were ornately designed with dark wood and gold accents, built to give the galas and fundraising events a luxurious first impression. The doors were propped open on either side, creating a welcoming atmosphere. Turning his dark brown eyes back to her, Theo nodded once and said, "After you." With that, he followed her into the ballroom area.

Taking a step inside, it was clear that set up was almost complete. Already, the room had a sense of grandeur. It wasn't his first gala, that was for sure. But he had yet to really experience what went on behind closed doors at them. Theo had heard rumors of other patients having less than ideal jobs, but he had avoided being forced into something like that somehow. He had always supposed it was because his charismatic personality and good lucks were enough to coerce women into donating to the asylum simply by wooing them. But it might also be because the board members were afraid his temper would get out of control and something would happen. And that would definitely not look good for them as a corporation. "Well, where should we begin?"

code by Stardust Galaxy​