Time's gonna take me, I know that day's gonna come~

A slip with an address. That was all that was currently in the young woman's hand ash she walked down one of the streets of Rose Garden. Her carmine eyes searched for a particular apartment amongst the buildings that belonged to a known mage that, despite once being legal and having ties to some Rune Knights, had decidedly gone dark. Having friends within the Rune Knights meant nothing these days. While sources said the organization was turning over a new leaf in regards to flushing out corrupt officers, there was more than a fair share of less than legal dealings still going on. However, 7 cared not for such things. The concepts of good and evil, legal and dark, right and wrong...they were all a little blurry to her. Despite being the guild master of a legal guild funded and literally built by the Magic Council (and the fact they had funded her own creation), the clone was still learning what such abstract notions really meant. She was still very much like a gun, simply aim and shoot. Dies Irae's blacklist helped a lot with directing her attention on mages counter to her guild's sensibilities, and thus she was here to hunt and kill Giri Hornbuckle, ex-Black Rose.

From what she'd researched, Black Rose had been a legal guild that, once felled, had released hordes of secrets. It had skirted the line between legal, independent, and perhaps even dark depending on whose perspective the information was coming from. Once brought to light, the guild had had no love for the Magic Council, so perhaps that why some of the remaining members that survived its destruction had simply thrown away the Magic Council's laws entirely and carried on their plans without the mask of lies. That's what Giri had done. He'd wracked up quite a rap sheet of dirty deeds, anything from murdering low ranking Magic Council members to leaving a trail of innocent blood in the streets. Again, it was all mostly gray to 7, but at least her time in Dies Irae had taught her innocent blood was sacred. Outlines were slowly forming in her hazy view of the world. The more she grew, the more she saw blood on her own hands, but this Giri was slicked in it.

Once she arrived at the proper building, she paused to listen. Ringing the bell at the bottom to alert the man to him imminent doom didn't seem like the best route to go. The paper said 3b, so that meant third floor...her eyes zeroed in on a window. In a skillful jump she landed on the roof above as soundlessly as possible. She paused to listen again. The wind fluttered the petal-like shapes that made up the skirt of her white-themed uniform as well as her soft rose locks while she stood still, listening to the voices below. Not only was her target home, but he had company. The voices confirmed Giri, and also someone named Artemis Dagger. That could make things complicated, but she was never one to shy away from a challenge. Returning empty handed wasn't an option, not just because of how she was programmed, but also because she felt undeserving of her Ambassador's title if something as simple as this could result in failure.

Since her outfit was produced from her metal threads, extending a couple of her skirt petals to wrap around a nearby chimney was no difficult feat. Slowly she leaned over the edge of the roof, hanging upside down to inch lower and lower until her eyes could see into the window. She had to hold her pigtails to keep them from swaying below her and revealing her position too soon. Now that she could put an image to the sounds, there was a burly man seated on the couch, and though she was behind him, his bald head indicated he was the target. The other man with the reddish hair in the room, however, was a mystery to her. She'd never seen his face or his name on the blacklist, so she was less concerned with him. He could be an innocent or a dark mage, but he wasn't the target. Sivvy also wasn't one to judge anyone by the company they kept, but she had to be mindful that it could be two verses one here. Her ultimate judgement call was to wait for either the men to move into more favorable positions or for Artemis's allegiance to be revealed so she'd have an idea what to expect.


[758]

Finally, the men started moving into more favorable positions. The opportunity had arisen! Sivvy pushed off the edge of the roof, swinging out and having her ribbons give her a bit of slack so she could get her momentum and positioning right. A second later, she was swinging feet first into the window, shattering it and rolling into a crouch inside the junky apartment. The smell of smoke and tobacco was so strong, her nose immediately started burning, but there was no time to fuss over such things. Besides, in a few moments, his disgusting habit wouldn't matter anymore anyway.

The clone was the type to cut directly to the chase. Giri Hornbuckle had no idea she was anywhere nearby since he was occupied trying to extort and strangle the young man in his company, not that he was expecting to be murdered by Dies Irae's guild master. The blacklist the guild operated on wasn't common knowledge, so the poor fool most likely had no idea he was even on a legal guild's radar. So just as she broke through the window, Giri had just enough time to half turn in surprise before he felt pressure in his throat. Controlling metal had its many uses, such as forming blades as easy as breathing to toss with amazing strength and speed from across the room. Her dagger had struck true, slicing straight through his neck and certainly severing his jugular. The thug gurgled in confusion, magic weakening before disappearing from around his prey altogether. Steroid-enhanced muscle fell just as heavy as any other body, so surely the occupants of the apartment below would be alarmed by their jarred ceiling if they were home, but at least the man couldn't scream and make a scene. Giri was suffering, however, so determined strides brought her to the man's side, where she finished the job and ended it. 7 was an efficient killer, but she wasn't sadistic. The quicker they died, the better for everyone.

Now that there was a carcass in the middle of the floor and a witness over by the busted TV, it was time for Sivvy to enter more unfamiliar territory. Killing her targets was one thing, but the aftermath was always much more of a gray area and contained countless variables unable to be predicted. "Should I take his head with me?" the young woman asked herself, genuinely pondering over the next course of action with her normal amount of diligence. Unable to decide, she moved on to the next matter. Crimson eyes rose to the wine-haired man that hopefully was able to recover from that nasty smoke attack. Her head cocked slightly to the side in consideration of him. Would he attack her? It seemed unlikely but wasn't impossible. Sivvy anticipated gratefulness instead, though, which was the only reason she didn't have a weapon at the ready. "Are you alright, Artemis Dagger?" asked the pink-haired girl, perfectly serene and non-threatening despite literally killing a man just moments before right before his eyes, a man she still stood over because she couldn't decide whether to decapitate his head or not as proof for Helga in payroll. Though stoic, a small smile appeared on her lips, hoping to appear friendly to Artemis.

While she waited for a reply, finally the girl moved to the window on the other side of the room, opening it and creating a draft to clear out any remaining smoke and hopefully improve the air quality in the room. The stench from chain smoking those vile things was strong, and now that her primary work was done, she hoped to relieve her own senses of the acrid aroma. The clone even found herself stifling a cough, unable to stop the occasional spasming and protesting of her lungs, nose, and throat. Her slayer senses made some scents truly unbearable, but a larger concern was second-hand smoke damage. Sivvy needed her lungs to remain viable!


[7's WC: 1415 || Thread Total: 3291]

"I was eavesdropping on the roof," Sivvy answered as if that was the most normal thing in the world to be doing. It hadn't even occurred to her that it could be strange out of context. The clone just did what needed to be done as efficiently as possible, so even her mode of entry hadn't struck her as unorthodox. "It's best to go into a situation as prepared as possible," continued the young woman, still seeming pleasant enough. "The best scenario would have been catching him home alone. I wasn't anticipating a second party, but after listening I acted on the assumption that you and Giri weren't friendly, so there should be little threat to me."

As usual, she left her name business for last since it was usually such an ordeal. Modifying her introduction would take care of it all, but it felt dishonest and unfamiliar to do it any other way at this point. "I'm designated 7," the rosy-haired woman said, possibly for what seemed like the millionth time. As much as she'd once longed for a name, she would always be nothing but 7 at her core, just as it was permanently marked on the nape of her neck. Dr. Raelin's instructions ran so deeply in her very being that it was nigh impossible for her to deviate from her routine except for the small allowance she'd chosen to make in the interest of seeming more personable. Jobs were difficult when everyone involved was balking over the lack of a 'normal name'. "Many choose not to call me that, though. If you'd prefer, you can choose what you call me, or you can just use 'Sivvy'. That's what my friends call me," she explained in a soft tone. Ever so slightly her eyes softened at the mention of her friends since it was a development she'd never considered happening. For a fleeting second, her mind wondered what Dr. Raelin would say about friendships, but honestly, she'd prefer not to know...mostly because given his track record, deep down she knew he'd disapprove and she very much wanted to keep her friends to herself. It caused a dissonance within her, but if she didn't dwell on it, then it didn't bother her too much. Besides, Dr. Raelin had let her go, and Johann was her mentor now.

Oh wait, but she had more information to give now, didn't she? It might be important that he know. Crimson eyes lit up in remembrance, and in the interest of maintaining her policy of transparent honesty, she lifted the side of her white, petal-like skirt and revealed the deep vermillion mark on her upper thigh. "I'm an Ambassador for Dies Irae. Giri Hornbuckle was on our blacklist. Fortunately, you're not. I do apologize if seeing his death upset you, though. I took my shot as soon as I could to avoid any collateral damages." The guild master stepped away from the window, turning her attention more firmly to Artemis and giving him a good looking over. Perhaps it was becoming a habit now that she had so many guild members to make sure were safe. "Do you need first aid for your neck?" the clone asked now, wanting to make sure the smoke hadn't caused damage. She'd yet to learn any healing magic, but her training allowed her to mend wounds the old fashioned way.


[7's WC: 1979 || Thread Total: 4442]

Cute. That was a description Sivvy hadn't considered concerning her nickname, but it could very well be true. Such opinions were subjective, so if he thought it was cute, he was more than welcome to. The young woman was much more interested in the fact that he didn't immediately ask about her number. Most did, though not all. That said, it didn't mean Artemis wouldn't ask about it later. It didn't matter to her either way. She had no issue explaining her circumstance to others, though she wasn't super fond of the pity or disgust it brought.

Artemis commented on her position and she thought it best to clarify...because that's what Sivvy does. "Well, I guess I might be important, depending how you look at it. An ambassador is the same as a guild master, but I run the guild with my mentor, Johann," elaborated the clone, watching him intently. "It's a lot of paperwork, which I'm very good at..." Sivvy's small smile reappeared, though it soon vanished as the man's own crimson eyes peeked at the body in the middle of the room and he turned away.

While 7 wasn't the most perceptive when it came to expressions in other people, she wasn't so dense that she couldn't figure out that the sight of the quite deceased Giri was bothering the man. It was more the concept of why it bothered him that escaped her. The clone had never been so affected by seeing anything that she looked away, not even the carcass of her own 'sister'. Perhaps she was immune to gore given her purpose in life. Artemis might have an aversion to blood. She'd read about that, and then same as now she mused over how inconvenient that must be, again, not considering that most people didn't kill frequently from nearly the moment of consciousness. Or maybe despite not being friends, seeing an acquaintance leave existence was jarring? It was something to think about and try to mentally dissect for sure.

While Artemis's back was turned, Sivvy took the chance to grab a nearby blanket and cover the body. Even though the pool blood would sink in and stain it, at least the body wasn't visible to him anymore. Hopefully that would help. She made the decision to abandon the head in this instance, since hacking it off in front of the man probably wouldn't sooth his discomfort at all.

By the time he returned his eyes back to her, she'd returned to the same position she'd been in when he'd looked away. His larger grin from earlier was smaller now, almost mirroring her own. He was expressing thankfulness. With a small nod she accepted his words, while also not making too big of a deal of it. Her objective had been to kill Giri, not save him, after all. That had just been a byproduct, though that wasn't to say she wouldn't have stepped in to end the fight between them anyway. But if she hadn't been here for Giri, she'd have never been in Rose Garden, let alone in the apartment to see the scuffle and to save him. Arguing the point would be fruitless, so it was better left as it was.

There was more to his thanks, though. Sivvy was about to try and hush him, maybe bring up her former internal point of his saving being a coincidence when his words caught her ears and locked any words of dissent in her throat. Food. There had yet to be an offering of food that she'd turned down. "I accept," she chirped, showing the first sign of true emotion. Few things brought her joy in life other than food and fashion and the shopping to get both. More than happy to move on to the restaurant he'd mentioned, the rosy-haired girl wasted no more time. Her boots took her not over to the door, however, but to the window she'd entered through. Without hesitation she leapt out, landing cleanly on the ground below and waiting for him to follow and lead the way.


[7's WC: 2659 || Thread Total: 5881]

Their walk through the garden apparently tickled the clone's fancy. She adored flowers, which is why most of her clothing had blooms all over them. Never before had she been to a real garden. As much as Arty was unconcerned with the pops of color and gentle falling petals in the breeze, his current date with hair the same hue as some of the flowers was wandering back and forth on the path, leaning in to smell them and touch them, though she never lingered enough to fall behind. One particular flower held her interest. An orchid. She'd never seen one before, and after examining it for a few extra seconds, she produced some liquid metal from her palm. It swirled and pulsed until it had sculpted into a replica, which she then attached to her uniform above the beginning of her skirt. As soon as he began speaking again, though, she moved her focus from the garden's sights to the man she'd just met, considering his question carefully. "We are a legal guild, yes," Sivvy answered, walking more somberly at his side now. It was as if his words reminded her that she needed to act a certain way, though she was hardly anything other than polite and reserved. "Our sensibilities are straight forward. Our ends justify the means as long as we are benefitting Earthland or our guild. We protect the order of the world with absolute strength, discipline, and honor. Any that disrupt it with evil and anarchy aren't given the chance to do so again in the future," 7 recited, maybe seeming a little blasé about it just because she'd said it so often. If she wasn't so emotionally reserved, she'd certainly be more excited. Claiming to understand the concepts fully was beyond her, but the guild gave her a purpose and a way to be useful, and that finally made her life worthwhile. The clone was very happy about it deep down inside.

Before long they'd reached the more commercialized area of the town. Sivvy made a mental note to return some other time to check out the shops. Shopping and snacking were her very favorite things, and new places to do those things thrilled her. Even now she saw a gorgeous sweater dress in the window of a shop to her left, probably on sale due to spring's approach. Maybe after dinner she'd swing by and pick it up...

Their arrival at the fancy restaurant wasn't as smooth as she'd anticipated. Was this normal? 7 hadn't been to many proper restaurants on her own. In fact, she'd only dined in Hosenka in the sushi restaurant where she met Johann. The usual fair was from snack carts and street vendors when she was by herself. However, she'd been to a few restaurants in the company of gentlemen willing to pay for a date, and now that she thought about it, they also acted this way...as if their names were currency just as much as the jewel in their pockets. Perhaps in a way, it was true. As usual, Sivvy watched every little thing with a keen eye. The host, the manager, the emphasis on his name, the usual table. She was painting a mental picture of him beyond what the eye could see. It didn't impress her either way, but it did seem familiar. The main difference was he had said this was for her benefit. This was to thank her for helping him, not to get something he needed. Still, he seemed important.

Now that they were seated and the menus were placed, Sivvy's eyes lit up like Christmas lights. The food offerings were vast as well as luxurious. Her heart started to race at just the prospect of a buttered lobster, though how could she possibly choose what she wanted from all the mouth-watering options? Sivvy was so enamored with the menu that she missed Ella asking her what she wanted to drink entirely. It wasn't until Artemis said her name that she jarred slightly, raising her eyes to him and blinking. What had he asked her? Even more neutral than her normally stoic persona was the blankness that came from the clone when she wasn't paying attention. "Uh," she stammered, racing through the proper procedure for restaurant patronage. Memories passed quickly before her eyes, but it was hard to distinguish the order of operations. Stating the name, waiting for the table to be prepped, being grabbed at, seated at a table, menus covered with needy hands, mindless chatter, waitress asking what she wanted but she never got to answer...That was it! Ordering a drink! She blinked again, turning to Ella with a slightly wider smile. This was it. Artemis wasn't ordering wine for her. She'd get to choose her first drink ever at a restaurant! "I'll have a water!" she announced as if it was a great triumph, and perhaps it was for her. However, it was definitely overzealous for the rest of the patrons, wasn't it?

The waitress stared at her for a moment, wondering why she was so exciting about water, but she scurried off to give them time to decide on food and so she could get the beverages to them as quickly as possible, before Geraldine served her for dinner.

Not realizing how odd she must have seemed, the young woman turned her attention briefly back to Artemis. "Dagger is an important name then?" she asked, hoping to understand why men used their names as if it wrote the checks for them. Maybe it did? She had no condemning or impressing qualities in her voice since she didn't care either way. She simply wished to understand. The food screaming at her from the menu wouldn't leave her focus alone though, and seconds later she was staring at it again like a lion looming over a poor gazelle with a broken leg. "Also, what do you usually order?"


[7's WC: 3648 || Thread Total: 7828]

Her rosy head bobbed in consideration of his words, though the vague consternation on her features didn't lessen. There were simply too many choices here. Honestly, this is why she preferred vendor food sometimes. There were limited choices. Most specialized in one or two things which she could order many of, like meatballs or eggrolls. The clone didn't do well with decisions when it came to her own preferences. In fact, forced decision making was one of the few things that could send her into a meltdown cycle. It was especially daunting with food since the young woman had yet to meet a dish she didn't adore. This was all very complicated!

Most girls would be so polite as to order very cheaply since he was paying. Most other girls would also see this as a date or at least date-like, and not want to chow down in front of a very attractive man for worry that he might be put off. Alas, Sivvy was not like most girls, and she couldn't possibly decide. Everything he said sounded perfect, but literally, everything on the menu did. Despite the ease with which she marked Giri Hornbuckle off the blacklist, she had worked up an appetite. Sivvy's ability to consume food was impressive and high above average, as Artemis would see soon.

With the same gusto with which she ordered her water, she slapped the fancy menu closed and turned her eyes on the waitress when she returned. The poor, poor waitress. With fiery hues, she confidently bestowed her order unto her, never once considering how unusual it was. "I would like one of everything...and one extra lobster," Sivvy spoke clearly as if there was nothing odd about it, and her soft, tiny smile reappeared on her lips. "Thank you," she chirped soon after, oblivious to the paling of Emma's face.

Once the hardest part of the evening was conquered, Artemis had placed his order, and Emma had scurried off, 7's mind wandered back to the question she hadn't gotten to answer before they arrived at the restaurant. Sivvy settled in and prepared to answer him. It never entered into her mind just why he'd ask such a thing. In fact, she rarely gave motivations behind words a glancing thought. "The question you asked me in the garden," the girl prefaced, wanting to reference back so she didn't jar him with suddenly speaking about a conversation that happened long enough ago to have been forgotten. She used to be bad about doing that but worked hard to avoid confusion these days. "I've never struggled killing who I've been tasked kill. It's normally easy unless they are very strong and put up a fight," Sivvy answered, perhaps misunderstanding that he hadn't meant the literal sense. After a delay, that point seemed to occur to her as well. "If you mean...er...emotionally, then that's also a no. It was one of the first tasks we learned beyond general education, so to me it's normal. Having reservations would prove inefficient and even dangerous. Joining Dies Irae has changed the parameters by which I do so now, though," explained the girl the best she could. Shortly after, her head tilted slightly to the left. "Why do you ask? Is what I do unusual? Or do you have difficulty killing?" the girl added, picking up her glass of water and placing a fancy black straw in it. Talking about killing with Sivvy seemed about as casual as speaking about the weather, whatever that might imply. She took a sip of her water and waited for his response.

[7's WC: 4248 || Thread Total: 9129]

As both their orders were placed, Sivvy couldn't help but grin. She was the most enthusiastic and emotive about food, so it was no mystery that she was already anxiously awaiting the absurd amount of noms coming her way. Artemis had asked what was probably a rhetorical question, but the clone would answer it anyway. "I'm famished," she had nearly giggled, but just as easily as flipping a switch she regained her serious nature as the conversation turned deeper.

"I don't have parents," Sivvy corrected her present company, though she didn't seem bothered by the statement or consider how odd it might sound. The pink-haired girl rarely realized the things she said or did were atypical of society norms. "I was taught by Dr. Raelin and the lab techs everything I needed to know," explained the young woman. She knew perfectly well that most people had parents at some point and didn't come into the world like she had, but she also didn't see why anyone would care. She wasn't any less human than anyone else, though some people insisted on treating her strangely. They equated a lab and scientists with androids or robots, which simply wasn't true. However, there were days when she wondered if it wouldn't have been easier on everyone involved if they had been a robot. Programming would have been instant and easy. Robots were even less prone to error and didn't need to be taught to suppress emotions. They could simply turn them off and achieve perfect efficiency. They didn't need countless surgeries or sleep or food...ok, the food part got her. Not needing food was a nightmare. She loved food too much to consider such a thing.

Artemis's perspective on killing didn't make sense to her, but 7 did her best to offer him her help. "I could try and save you when you need it if you want. I have an iLac, so you could just call me," replied the girl, offering him one of her gentle smiles. Nothing about her seemed capable of killing a person as quickly and easily as she'd killed Giri, but she was capable of that and so much more. Now that she was officially a legal mage, it was her job to kill the bad guys and save people, wasn't it? That seemed right, though it made her nervous that she hadn't explicitly been told what her objectives were. But, a purpose was a purpose! She'd never viewed it as taking someone's life. That sounded like stealing as if it had some sort of emotion attached to it. That seemed too personal. "If you are in a place where you need to, I recommend just looking at the act as a job. To complete the objective, you must find and hit a target. No different than shooting paper targets. Ascribing emotion to and over-humanizing the act is impractical. Objectivity is key," advised Sivvy, finally moving her eyes, which had been trained on him this whole time, to scan for signs of Emma's return with appetizers or at least a bread basket. This seemed like a bread basket kind of place.

[7's WC: 524 || 7's Total: 4772 || Thread Total: 10317]

Sivvy nodded as he asked for clarification on the place she'd lived before Johann offered her a new beginning. "Yes, a laboratory. I apologize for not using the proper term for clarity," the girl ducked her head slightly, mildly embarrassed. Lately, she'd been attempting to normalize her speech to better fit in with those around her. Speaking too properly could be pretentious, but perhaps she'd gone too informal in response. However, he apologized as well right after her, which perplexed her a little. Had she ever had someone apologize to her before? She saw no reason in it. He was simply wanting information about her for a better understanding, which she thought was normal. Who was she to be secretive? Perhaps it was just politeness. "No apologies necessary," she waved slightly before continuing, "My sisters and I were created by scientific methods instead of the natural way. Dr. Raelin was under contract by the Magic Council to provide as many perfect specimens as possible. I failed the exam in the end," Sivvy told him, making it pretty obvious that she was about as open of a person as possible. Her failure still bothered her, but she didn't dwell. "Despite that, I'm pleased I was able to become useful in other ways, like becoming a guild master and helping our members become stronger. It's...rewarding," her smile brightened, but it didn't hold a candle to the expression she'd exhibit in a few moments.

While she was entering her phone number into his iLac and likewise gaining his number for her own, she noticed the tables being pulled up. Anticipation began building in her features, like a barely muted version of a child's who was waiting in line for a rollercoaster. Very few things thrilled her like food. Soon several other waiters assisted poor Emma in bringing out all the appetizers on the menu along with a few salads. Sivvy's eyes all but flared as plate after plate was settled into their places. The wait staff had barely turned their backs when she picked up a plate and began her feast. 

Sivvy wasn't a savage when she ate (more like consumed), despite her speed and enthusiasm. It was strange, elegant chaos. The manners of a lady somehow coupled with the unhinging jaw of a snake swallowing a frog whole somehow came together in the rosy woman before him. Slender, practiced hands zipped about out with precise efficiency, though her focus seemed to flitter wildly between each plate after her tongue tasted whatever it held. She made sure to leave some for Artemis to try as well, though restraining herself from the oysters was quite the feat. They were very tasty, and she found the act of slurping them right off the half-shell pleasing. Each new flavor crinkled her eyes and had her beaming with pure joy, some even giving her reason to do a little wiggly food dance in her seat. She kept avoidable and unpleasant sounds to a minimum, having been taught proper etiquette and endeavoring to stick to socially acceptable behaviors despite her speed aside from an occasional "Mmm.." It was only when she started to munch on a particularly crunchy piece of bruschetta with fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil that her carmine eyes shifted from the ravaged pre-entre spread to peer across at her dinner date. Perhaps she suddenly seemed extra demure, though the clone didn't really feel self-conscious. If anything, she just realized she may have startled him and thought she ought to take a small break and offer her suggestions. "The oysters are very good. You should try some. Oh, and the prosciutto and figs...and the cheese beignets...all of it, really...It's all wonderful," she chirped with a broadening smile.

To someone not from her very closed off and sterile world, these simple experiences would seem so normal. But to Sivvy, enjoying something as basic as food was a treat, a personal allowance and her very first act of individualism following her failure of the Magic Council's test. It was her very first break from Dr. Raelin's teachings of unfeeling obedience. Meals at the lab had been for nutrition only. Flavor wasn't considered, so meals were bland or bitter from the precisely measured vitamins. There were times when they weren't even given a break to eat and were instead hooked up to IVs for sustenance during their studies. Once she started working on her own out in the world and had to seek food out on her own, it became a highly sought for reward after a hard day's work. Sivvy learned the art of snacking and became lowkey obsessed with food in hopes of catching her pallet up from all the time wasted on flavorless gruel. Artemis might just see a very hungry food-lover, but it ran so much deeper than that. Food was the very first window into her humanity and feelings, muted as they still were.


[7's WC: 820 || 7's Total: 5592 || Thread Total: 11717]

"A foodie?" she asked, unfamiliar with the term. The implication was clear enough, so unless it was some sort of slang that had a nonsensical meaning, then she was sure she understood. "Yes, I guess I am," she smiled, delighted with everything so far. A grand reward for a job well done. Everything was delicious, it was difficult not to dive back in and finish off the plates before the entrees came, another event she was looking forward to. Anyone else would have been full on at most half the plates of appetizers, but she'd put them all away in time and have room for all the main courses as well. Then there was dessert. Somehow, the lithe woman would still have room.

Her offer to share the oysters was met with an unanticipated burst of movement. However, Sivvy didn't even bat an eye as Artemis rounded the table and straddled a chair right beside her. If anything, she simply watched him with the same mild interest she would have paid watching a bird hop between branches. Soon they were eye to eye in much closer proximity, and he was making a request. A simple request at that. The girl didn't hesitate to reach for one of the shells on her plate. 

Oddly enough, this was not the first time she'd been asked to do something like this. Unfortunately for him, her experience with this scenario was far from a case of innocent flirtation. Scooting to the edge of her seat and angling her body toward him, Sivvy slowly leaned in closer to the wine-tressed male currently wracking up a hefty bill. A slender hand reached out and her thumb brushed his lower lip, teasing it open before she curled her index finger below his chin as if to make sure his head remained where she needed it. Her left hand lifted the delicately crafted morsel toward his lips, carefully touching the shell to his mouth before angling it in a way that he would be able to easily eat the excellently crafted bite. It was a sensual move to be sure, even though she wasn't feeling the emotions that usually fueled or resulted from such acts. It wasn't that he wasn't attractive. Even though the clone's perceptions of personal feelings and emotions were stunted and muddled at best, she at least knew what she didn't mind looking at. Perhaps it was a bit skewed since she attributed the same attraction to his appearance as she would a crystal studded dragon's egg at ICEA, but she felt a bit more comfortable around him than she did the other men who had asked for similar things. Sivvy's mind wouldn't linger too long on the thought though, as her eyes would move back to the half-shell she'd lower once he was finished with it. Just watching him consume it made her want another, but she'd be patient. Her needs always came second even when it came to food. It was just her way.


"Was that to your liking, Artemis?" she asked quietly afterward, peering into his face with a mostly stoic expression, though there was a hint of anxiety and hopefulness as well. Anxiety was always there lurking when she was doing her best to be useful and do what someone needed from her, but doing so for someone new was a minefield at times. Sivvy'd been on the receiving end of many vicious scoldings and punishments for just the slightest deviations from expectations. The thought that she didn't perform the exact way he wanted bothered her even though there was no way she could know without explicit instruction. "Would you like another?" 7 followed up, eager to please as always.

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Her eyes regained their luminous quality as he gave her permission to eat the rest, which she did without much hesitation but still the same amount of bizarre elegance that seemed to be her brand. Just a small slurp and the tasty morsels were gone and she was left to wiggle her shoulders in enjoyment. Likewise, she parted her pink lips and sucked down the succulent lobster meat from the dainty fork provided, and managed to catch the small drip of butter with a napkin before it slipped too far from the corner of her mouth.

As she went about her way devouring the remainder of the appetizers, she peeked at him from time to time while he remained close to her. He seemed pleasant enough, clearly pleased with what she'd fed him. For whatever reason, probably out of habit from working in a laboratory setting, she made a mental note that he had responded favorably and that he liked stuffed clams. From an inquisitive and scientific point of view, she wondered what else the man liked to eat or would like to be fed. This most likely wasn't his intention, but it ran away with her mind anyway. It was like an experiment. She loved all food, but did Artemis? Sivvy felt like she needed to find out. A strange drive to have indeed, especially when other drives should have been more obviously important. The man opposite her was having the appropriate drive for the scene that just happened, but she'd never had that reaction herself. For the moment the biological elements left her mind, for he had asked her something.

Thinking he meant literally right after this, as in appetizers, Sivvy answered promptly. "Yes, I do," Sivvy chirped, eyes gleaming with hunger despite the impressive amount of food already consumed. "I'll eat all the dinner I ordered," continued the girl, her nose very slightly twitching as she sniffed the air. She'd been checking for her aforementioned dinner, but instead caught a whiff of something else. The rosy-haired woman tilted her head as she did when considering something or formulating a response.

She was also keenly aware of biology and sensitive to the scent of pheromones due to the dragon slayer lacrima that was implanted inside her that despite lacking any reaction to the sensual feeding herself, she commented on his. "Please, Artemis, you don't need to remain here on my account. Biological functions are often uncontrollable and are nothing to be polite about with me. If you'd like to return to your seat go ahead...and for your privacy, I will not look if you don't want me to."


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With dinner properly consumed, Sivvy patted her mysteriously flat tummy-- Where was the food baby? Where did the food go?-- and sighed, content. This was as close to satisfied and full she'd ever felt since it was debatable that she possessed the ability to even feel full. Her lips once more tilted up at the corners when she looked at him, cheeks flushed with the joys of great food and wonderful dining experience. "Thank you," she told him again. However, as he made his next offer, her head would tilt a little as she listened.

Dancing? After such a large meal, some physical activity to work it off a bit sounded perfect. In addition to that point, Sivvy adored dancing. It was hard to imagine such a stoic, well-trained tool of destruction liking such things, but she had a particular fondness for singing and dancing in addition to her more obvious love shopping and, of course, eating. There hadn't been much opportunity for enjoyable activities in her short conscious life. In her studies at the lab, she'd received a short tutorial on dancing in case it played into one of her functions as a universally useful soldier for the Magic Council. While it hadn't been a skill she used hardly ever, once she was hired out and got to experience the world a little more, she couldn't help but notice it at festivals and inside the thumping night clubs. There was even dancing in theater performances. In her time alone, sometimes her training turned to dancing, bestowing on her moments of light-hearted freedom until her stressful reality crushed her once more. "Yes," Sivvy nearly gasped in answer, the offer catching her just enough off guard that her usual poise slipped. "I would like that very much," she continued in a more recovered tone, wasting no time rising from her seat, leaving the ravaged plates in her wake. Should he quickly pay for their extravagant meal Artemis might catch a glimpse of the clone rushing back out onto the streets of Rose Garden. She'd wait for him of course, but that didn't keep her ears from subtly twitching, trying to pick out any hints of music being played nearby. To say she was eager might be an understatement. This might be one of the best days the poor girl had ever had!


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Sivvy might be hard to read, but even so, she could hardly keep her expressions under control. Yes, he'd said they were going dancing and that the place was private and Enca themed, and for that she could barely wait. However, she was distracted by the things on the way just as much as the thought of dancing. Coffee shops were on her list of places she liked since both coffee and the treats sold alongside them constituted snacks and thus mad it a snack shop. They also usually had material laying about to read and pass the time as patrons sipped and munched, and the clone also enjoyed reading. Since being released out into the world from the lab, slowly the young woman had discovered thing she truly enjoyed and now had what she felt was a rather large list. Sivvy knew by Dr. Raelin's standards that this development wasn't really okay, but she didn't know what to do about it.

When they didn't stop for coffee despite its enticing scent, she felt slightly disappointed but remembered the purpose of this visit. Perhaps others would have been more confused as to why they had walked into the coffee shop, to begin with then they were supposed to be going to a dance club, but this wasn't something entirely new to her. VIP places of various businesses were a favorite of the richer clientele she'd worked for, and the more hidden and secret the better. They truly adored validating their "worth" when they could get into places the average person couldn't. It was always a point they tried to get across to her, presumably so she'd be impressed, but that aspect always failed. The notion was foreign to her and frankly, she didn't care. What was wealth if they were useless? So useless that they had to hire someone to spend time with them? Their lives had little purpose other than frivolously throwing money so people would treat them like they were worth everything, yet they did little to earn such things. It was a hollow facade. It twisted her guts back then, knowing how hard she worked to be of use so that one day at least one person would really rely on her and need her. She sought her worth and purpose as a human being so frantically with little results. These clients simply paid people to need them, but it was all lies. Still, some of the places were actually very nice and she wondered if she'd ever get a chance to see and enjoy them when not serving a purpose.

The ambassador was slightly distracted once more when they entered the back room. A little library? Again, she loved reading, so it was all she could do to keep from straying from his side to check out all the literature. She'd have been as happy as the clams she consumed once were to sit in a fluffy armchair and read as many as she could, but alas. Before she could make a move and act on the stray thought, the bookcase slid out of the way and revealed a hall. If the coffee shop and library wasn't all entirely a fake front, maybe she'd return one day just to hang out without even bothering to try and get into the club without someone like Artemis Dagger accompanying her.

The end of the corridor came quickly. Though she'd heard the music from quite a ways back, she was still shocked enough to really gasp this time when he opened the door and it was all revealed. So pleasantly surprised by the lighting and the scents and the energy and all the wonderful dancing she'd never seen before to actually reach out and graze his arm, nearly grabbing it but managing to avoid it at the last second. Club Maria. This was far above any private club she'd ever been taken to before. Blindly she followed his lead as he made his way through the place, hungry eyes taking in every inch. When he addressed her again, she turned and blinked at him, taking an extra beat to digest what he'd actually said. "Oh, no. I'm fine. I want to be fully present for this," she answered with a smile, already bobbing slightly to the beat.

Watching the other people was a level of entertainment all of its own. The smooth way each couple moved around each other, synchronized hips shaking back and forth as complicated footsteps were made. People were twirled and dipped, touched and embraced. It was beautiful and foreign. Without realizing it, the smallest pang of jealousy crept into her chest. It was like being a starving child peering into a busy restaurant's window. This wasn't a simple waltz, the only dance she'd ever been thought and the only one Dr. Raelin said was remotely worth knowing. Before this moment, Sivvy thought she knew how to dance. It was disappointing to find out differently at a time like this. The other wealthy private clubs had all done various forms of waltzes, so this was a bit of a shock. "This isn't the waltz," she said aloud, though it was unclear whether it was to herself or Artemis. The next was more clear. "Artemis, I don't know these dances," the clone told him. Was that a hint of sadness in her voice?


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