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Hybrid
In a world where anything is possible, life has been changed dramatically from the 21st Century standards. We can fly through space, drink water that appears in a cup that was never there in the first place, tell our machines to make dinner, and even download knowledge into our children. Heck, the most recent fad is something completely different: change. Hybrids have become the popular thing to become. Mechanics and engineering have allowed us to look however we want. Mer-creature? Sure. Cat ears have become particularly popular. Did I mention that you can even become a machine? Cyborgs, animal-hybrids, and aliens are now present in our society. Stranger still, it is a coming of age ordeal. The generation has chosen to allow their youngsters to choose their "upgrades" when they turn 18. Life, once again, has taken a huge turn for what many people predict to be the worse. Shape-shifting is the most recent and "expensive" upgrade. Only the most rich and favored people receive the benefits. It's well worth it, too. So now the government says you can be a hybrid (who can't hide the features), a shifting hybrid (who can make the features disappear whenever they want), or a shapeshifter (which is the newest of the new technology and is very rare - but you can choose any kind of hybrid at any time you want). - The Characters - Ayren http://www.menewsha.com/forum/pictur...ictureid=48875 Ayren has brown eyes and white hair. She chose to be a "faun" when she got her upgrades, though has the lowest quality. Her horns and ears are constantly visible. Age: 19 Cassius http://www.menewsha.com/forum/pictur...ictureid=52978 Cassius has gold eyes and markings, as well as extremely white-blond hair. His upgrade is usually used, though he has the secondary kind: he can make himself normal when he wishes to. Age: 18 ---------- Post added 04-22-2012 at 09:08 PM ---------- "What, do you think you deserve more?!" Ayren's large brown eyes were alight with a fiery anger. The girl was 19 - she'd been a hybrid for a whole year. Her family had been on the poorer side of town, so her implants were permanent and couldn't fade in and out. It wasn't something that anyone really frowned upon, but the white-haired girl saw them as a shout about her status. Her family was poor, and she was just another of the many teens who'd decided to become a hybrid. Before her stood a "shifter": Shifters could hide their upgrades when they wanted, so they could look human again whenever they wanted. Ayren saw them as stuck-up snobs and rich kids who took on their daddy's money. Seeing Cassius before her just made the faun's blood boil. "I . . . asked if you could pass the salt." Cassius was a year younger than Ayren, but in their dining hall it didn't matter. He was "the rich kid" in her eyes. They'd known one another as children, but their class had separated them when they gained their upgrades. Ayren had become a faun while Cassius had gained markings and the ability to see in the dark. "You asked me," the faun said with a rising voice, "because you know I'm lower than you! You know I won't refuse your demands!" Ayren's scowl made her old friend's eyes narrow. "Ayren, it's sitting by your hand." His glowing eyes were narrow, and the gold markings flashed over his skin in irritation. He couldn't say anything to the girl without her blowing up nowadays. There were quite a few people staring at them. The public dining hall was generally a peaceful place . . . except when the two former friends met in the line for food. Ayren's voice was rising, and it was drawing too much attention. She liked attention . . . and Cassius never had. "Please," Cassius raked a hand through his pale blond hair, "sit down. I'll get the salt myself." He stood, reaching for the salt. Of course, Ayren's burst of annoyance sent it flying down the table to spill over someone else's plate. Shooting a hardly contained look of anger toward the white-haired faun, Cassius moved down to the victim's spot. "I apologize," he said, shaking his head. "She has quite the temper." |
(Should I make 1 or 2 people?)
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((Hmm. Your choice! :3 I like to have two people so I can have more than one scene going at once. :lol:))
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Lakend
http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/s...purleycool.jpg Lakend never planned on getting an upgrade, but a mysterious donor gave him money and he couldn't refuse. Hates the fact that he's a shapeshifter and keeps to himself Age:18 (I'll just have Lakend for now!) Lakend just sat down in the dining hall to eat his meal and hopefully get some drawing time in when THEY started. Cassius and Aryen where at each others necks again, fighting over the simplist things. It made Lakend sick. This time it was about salt. Keeping his head down, Lakend tried to concentrate on his food, but he looked up just in time to have all the salt thrown on him. When Cassius apologized for Aryen's temper, he nearly gagged. Lakend hated those two with a burning passion. They were always being loud and obnoxious trying to bask in people's attention. Ignoring Cassius, Lakend went back eating and drawing, stopping now and again to brush some salt off himself. |
((Ooooo, I've always loved that picture. :XD Very nice!))
As Lakend turned the other cheek to ignore him, Cassius sighed mentally. Not only did Ayren disrupt the much-loved peace, but she destroyed everyone's relationships. Cassius had yet to even raise his voice above a low murmur, and here Ayren was still yelling on about how "shifters were stuck up and cruel." Honestly, she had nothing to back her words, but that didn't matter. She was still loud. Cassius took a seat beside the silver-haired male, letting his gold markings flicker with anger. "I've never done anything to Ayren. I don't understand why she insists on making such a scene." He witnessed the hardly contained disgust on Lakend's face . . . and a frown pulled at his brow. "I can see that I'm bothering you. I apologize." He was the calm one; the socially adept one. Ayren was a loud creature, while Cassius fought for peace. Without another word, he set a glowing stone on the table beside Lakend. It was money - a replacement for the meal that had been ruined by the pile of salt. "I wish you didn't make everyone hate me," he said quietly as he walked back to Ayren. The woman was finally sitting, scarfing her food down like her anger was forcing her to. Shooting a venomous glare at her old friend, Ayren grabbed her plate and stood. "Go away, freak!" Cassius looked hurt that the woman had said as much. The white-haired faun walked away, her hooves clicking on the hard floor. Cassius' gold eyes narrowed, and he slowly moved back to where he'd left his plate. Coincidentally, Ayren had dumped a pile of salt over it. It was completely ruined. With a quiet sigh, the tall male let his head rest in his hands. Elbows on the table, Cassius closed his eyes. "Why must you make everything difficult?" There was a lovely gap of space between himself and any other person. They were avoiding him - again. |
(Lol me too! And thnx!)
Lakend scoffed at the thought that Cassius never did anything to Aryen. 'Well he has at least has some decent manners',Lakend thought as Cassius walked away. He stared at the glowing stone Cassius had set on the table. 'What kind of man just throws his money around like a dead body?!',Lakend thought with scorn. He was tempted to take the money and buy new art supplies with it, but then he saw a scrawny looking hybrid walked by and he remembered how fortunate he really was. Picking up his notebook, Lakend grabbed the stone and stalked off following the scrawny hybrid, leaving his plate on the table so that Cassius could clean up his own problem. Once the scrawny hybrid had reached her room, Lakend hid in the shadow of a pillar so as he would not be seen. The hybrid closed the door but not completely, he noticed. Easing the door open a crack, Lakend wedged the stone between the door and the doorframe, hoping that she would see it, he slipped away into the shadows once again, in search of a bench in which he could possibly draw in peace. |
Just as Lakend took a seat, Ayren rounded the corner. There was a bench in the hall, and that was exactly where the shapeshifter was sitting.
As the faun approached, she seemed like a completely different person. Her long ears perked forward, and she offered a slight smile. "Have you finished anything good recently?" she asked, her voice sounding calm and light. Apparently she was already over her little tiff with Cassius. Since she wasn't sure what class Lakend came from, she'd always been rather decent to him. Granted, they never really talked. . . . "Your art is very nice," she said, her ears flattening as she realized she might be bothering the male. "My name is Ayren. I don't believe I've ever gotten yours . . .?" The faun's arms were full of second-hand books and paper, so she couldn't reach out to shake his hand. Still, it seemed that she was being friendly enough. ((Awww . . . Lakend is so nice! :cry:)) |
Lakend's head jerked at the sound of Aryen's voice. He whiped the slight smile off his face that he had when he drew and answered her,"My name is Lakend." Right now Aryen wasn't acting too selfish, actually she kind of gave off the vibe that she was actually nice when Cassius wasn't around. Testing this theory, Lakend asked,"Would you like to see some of my latest drawings?"
(I know right?! And sorry it's short! I'm having a brain tart!) |
((:lol: It's alright! Short is alright. :3))
"I would love to," Ayren said with a slight smile. Her ears perked again, and the hybrid carefully set her things in a messy pile beside Lakend before siting down. It was strange to sit with someone again. She really hadn't taken on many friends after seeing Cassius become a shifting hybrid. He was middle class, and she was low class. Obviously, it made her bitter toward her old friend. This, though . . . this was different. She didn't really know Lakend, and he was nice enough on the eyes. . . . "I've seen a few of your drawings," she said, looking over the paper for a few moments, "but only a few of them. Do you draw all the time?" Her brown eyes were wide as she watched him intently. Every time she thought about Lakend, he was drawing in her mind. So . . . that was the only way she'd really seen him. He was quite the artist, and he seemed to basically live that way. How nice it must have been to know what he enjoyed doing. . . . |
Lakend was tempted to smile at how curious she was but he decided against it. He had learned from previous experiences that hybrids didnt appreciate shapeshifters very much. "Yes, basically.", Lakend replied. "It's like all my feelings and thoughts just pour into the paper, taking shape and form. Being able to draw is like as important to me as honey is to bees. But my only creations that truly matter to me are the ones that come from here.",he said, gesturing to his heart.
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Ayren nodded slowly. She understood. She didn't have anything comparable, but she understood. "That's really cool," the white-haired woman said quietly. The woman suddenly looked at Lakend, trying to see more of him. She wasn't sure what he was. A hybrid, perhaps? She'd never seen him shift forms before. She wanted to know so badly, but . .. it was a huge offense to ask. That wasn't the best way to end their conversation.
"Do you have any work that you're really proud of?" she asked, her large eyes blinking slowly. Heck, it was a miracle that Lakend was talking to her. The looks he always gave her when she was near Cassius were horrible. ((:XD Brain fart. I'm dead! LOL!!! What should happen in this rp? :lol:)) |
"Uh, yes",Lakend said, flipping through his notebook. He stopped at a picture of two mustangs staring into the starry night with their manes whipping around in the wind. "I really like this one. It shows these magnificent creatures that have every reason to be proud of who they are and what they are. This one here is the male.",he said, tapping the sparkling silver mustang. "This is the beautiful, young, and strong female",Lakend said pointing to the cream colored horse. "I envy them. Being able to just kick back and wonder about their future. At least they know they have each other by their side for as long as they both live.", Lakend said with a far away look in his eyes.
(I don't really know! Lol I guess about Lakend and Aryen both sharing their worlds, changing each other, and their futures? I don't know.) |
Ayren looked over the picture with a smile. "It's beautiful," she whispered, looking up in time to see the look on Lakend's face. "I never would have taken you for a romantic, Lakend." Her playful words were followed by her ears flicking up again. "So is that what you dream about? A future full of peace and the time to contemplate it?"
The faun girl shifted back, looking at the boy beside her again. How had she never taken the time to speak with him before? How had she not really noticed him? |
"Thank you, and yes. Though i'm not the romantic kind you take me for. Love is a gamble that only a select few have the guts to roll the dice. I think it would be best in life to take chances but be sure in the choices you make because the odds may not always play to your liking.", Lakend said. Watching Aryen out of the corner of his eye, he noticed how thoughtful and kind she actually was. Not like the obnoxious person fighting for the heck of it she had been before. Though Lakend barely thought of her as more than an aquiantance, he felt it wasn't too bad getting toknow her.
(Hahaha Lakend really has a knack of describing people harshly! lol) |
((LOL, oh, that's how he is. ;) I like his partially anti-social demeanor. :lol:))
"Wow," Ayren said quietly, a smile slowly spreading over her lips. "That's love, then, isn't it? A gamble." Her ears flicked again, and the faun smiled up at the ceiling lights for a few moments. "I guess you're right. It's always just a casting of dice." She let her brown eyes travel over the strange lights above her before looking down at the interesting patterns on the floor. "Thank you for showing me your artwork," Ayren said, slowly standing. Her hooves made hollow sounds on the hard floor, but she didn't seem to notice. Reaching out to pat Lakend's arm, she grinned. "It's good to see that some people still enjoy making friends. Or meeting new people." With a slight shrug, she straightened her white shirt and reached for her pile of second-hand belongings. "I'll see you around." Just as she was about to walk away, Ayren paused. Looking back, she hesitated before clearing her throat. "Are you going to the carnival tomorrow?" The carnival was a huge simulation (none of it was real) in the building beside theirs. It was like a giant video game that you could live in for a day. |
"Oh, the carnival's tomorrow. That's right. I honestly wasn't planning on attending.",Lakend said quietly. Noticing how heavy all of those books looked, he offered,"Would you mind if I helped you with those?" He knew that the carnival was a pretty big deal for a lot of people and he didn't want to hurt Aryen's feelings if she was one of those people. Lakend personally didn't get why people would go into some huge happy video game, to come back to harsh reality.
(I know! I love that about him too! Lol it's funny cuz he's my character) |
((:D I usually like all my characters. I'm not sure what I think of Ayren, though. :/ LOL))
Ayren smiled, looking relieved when Lakend offered to help her. "OH, yes please!" She allowed him to take some of the books from her arms, sighing happily once they were gone. Now she could shift her hold on the papers and binders that she had. The faun continued on down the hall toward her "dorm" where she would be kept. It wasn't as strict as a guys/girls dorm area, but it was commonly separated by class. Ayren's area was the lowest - they got the bare minimum in their sleeping quarters. What awaited Ayren was a half-sized room with a bed, nightstand, and partial closet. There was no air conditioning or heater, and no window. The door hit the end of the bed when it opened in, and the only bathroom in the area was down the hall. The showers there were terribly cold, but at least the water worked in all the sinks and faucets. Trying not to look self-conscious, the white-haired girl led Lakend to her room. "You can just . . . wait out here. I'll carry stuff in." She didn't like where she lived, but it was necessary. She wasn't rich enough to move up in rank. She never would be. Ayren opened the door, squeezed inside, and put her things down before coming back and taking the stuff from Lakend. "Thank you for helping me." There was a long pause before she brought her brown eyes up to Lakend's face. "So . . . do you want to go to the carnival tomorrow? I know you said you weren't planning on going, but . . ." |
Lakend was surprised at how small her room was. He was expecting it to be small, but not that small. Hoping he wasn't staring he said,"You're welcome. Yes, I think I'll go to the carnival tomorrow I think. Would you mind if I picked you up tomorrow?" Lakend was a bit nervous because he never really interacted with others, so he was hoping she wouldn't mind his company. He didnt want to go alone, being surrounded by strange people he never knew existed. "I mean you don't have to go with me if you don't want!",Lakend said hastily. He hoped Aryen didn't notice that he was blushing, but then again, everything he did seemed to stand out.
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Stand out? Yes. Everything Lakend did was standing out brightly at that moment. When he started to try and rush to cover what he'd said, Ayren merely laughed and shook her head. "You silly. I asked because I wanted to go with you!" Her white ears perked, and she reached up to give a lock of his long hair a tug. She rather liked this boy. "Tomorrow, then. Just after breakfast?"
Her wide brown eyes scanned over his features again. She couldn't tell which class he was in, or which kind of hybrid he was . . . but she enjoyed not knowing. For once, she couldn't label someone as "superior" or poor. It was nice. "I'm glad you're going." Ayren fidgeted with the sleeve of her long white shirt, feeling her face heat up in response to Lakend's blush. |
"Me too.",Lakend said quietly. "Now I must retire to my own corters.",he said with a bow. Walking in the direction of his room, Lakend couldn't help but smile. He has learned many things this night. He listed them in his head:
1. He is going to the carnival with a friend 2. He has a friend 3. Aryen was nicer than he had first thought 5. His drawings were good |
"Tomorrow after breakfast," she repeated quietly, watching Lakend leave. As soon as he was out of sight, the faun sighed and closed her door. After flopping down and thinking, she fell asleep. It wasn't long before she was out for the night, dreaming of the upcoming carnival. They would be going together!
When breakfast came, Ayren headed to the main hall. She knew that she would meet Lakend there during, or after she finished her food. Snagging a bowl of oatmeal-like cereal, she headed for a table. She saw her old friend, Cassius, sitting at the table nearby and felt her anger rise. Ignore him. You have someone to meet today. But she couldn't. Stepping past the pale-haired male, she was sure to bump him with her elbow. The glare that Cassius sent her was one of disdain and annoyance, but he didn't react physically. "Good morning to you, too." The words made Ayren frown, and her white ears flattened as she took a seat a few tables from where Cassius was. She could ignore him while her back was turned . . . for Lakend's sake. |
Lakend had stayed up all night drawing. When he had a sudden urge to draw he couldn't deny it. He was walking towards the mess hall to get some breakfast when he noticed Ayren. Lakend snagged some orange juice and was walking towards her when he saw Cassius. Stopping, he said with a smile,"Thank you for that the other day. It was much appreciated. But maybe next time you'll be mature enough as too not let that happen." Settling across from Ayren, he said,"Good morning!"
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Cassius glanced up, about to smile at Lakend as he approached. Just as the expression was forming, it faded. "Of . . . course." He narrowed his glowing eyes, his markings flashing with light as he let his attention return to the spill that Ayren had caused. She'd bumped him just as he'd been lifting his glass to his lips, and orange juice had cascaded out over the table and his lap.
Cassius shook his head. Hadn't Ayren been the one to start whatever had happened the other morning? Something silly about salt? The shifter's gaze followed Lakend as he sat beside Ayren. The two must have been getting along well. Ayren was smiling. You only smiled like that for me. The male felt a slight frown tug at his brow before he focused on his ruined food. If only he could turn back time. Ayren had been his best friend once. Now, she didn't want anything to do with him. - "Lakend!" Ayren's white ears darted up, and a smile lit her features. "I heard there's a Ferris Wheel today. Want to try it out?" She'd never been one for heights, but she loved a good challenge. |
Lakend laughed,"Sure, if i don't chicken out first. I'm not that good with heights, but the thrill and smell of the wind delights me. I'm pumped, I'm glad you're going with me. Without you it wouldn't be the same." Ayren's ears were very peculier, in a good way. Lakend had never noticed them before, but they were hard to miss. Sometimes he wasn't very good at taking in his surroundings. Her hair was beautiful the way it curved around her face, sharpening her features. Her eyes were a shocking green that caught his eye. 'How could Cassius ever have left this woman? Can't he see? Ayren is mire than just a pretty face, she was kind, funny, caring, and most of all, good at persuading.',he thought. What happened between them was a huge mystery. That he had no buisness to learn.
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((:cry: Awww, I love this rp . . . but Es needs to cut back on her thread intake. Es has over 20+ active threads right now, and it's killing her. I'm so sorry, but . . . can we, perhaps, focus on this later? I need to cut back on my list so bad, it hurts. :cry:
It's a good story, and it's beginning to move . . . but Es just doesn't have the time to reply to it. So sorry, Rose!)) |
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