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Post by SceneMod on Mar 17, 2010 17:58:28 GMT -5
Day 5, early evening, one of the more expensive brothels just outside the High Roller district. Semi-Private.
Shi're would have preferred not to have delayed at all in debuting her new prize, but aside from the need for advertisement, she needed the time to acclimate Clipper to her role. The dainty little robot has taken to the clothes and accessories like a child to candy, even mastering (mostly) the unfamiliar heels Shi're had insisted she wear.
The news had spread quickly, through the proper and more or less discreet channels, that a great prize of a companion was being offered up at the Zeller's house, a companion of such youth and innocence, such sweetness and frailty that she is like an angel newly fallen to hell. A prize that was reportedly untouched, pure and not merely reconstructed to appear an innocent. Many discounted that report as impossible. No one that innocent winds up under Shi're's handling, of all madames.
Yet still, they would come, if only to debunk the advertisement and send Shi're slinking back to the lower end whorehouses where she belonged.
And so many did come! Shi're can't quite hide the glint of greed, the smugness in her expression as she leans on the banister and looks down on the room. So many, and of quality!. Her coffers will be full to overflowing, once they see her little darling, test her sweetness.
She beckons to the man standing by a door at the end of the hall. He knocks politely, opens it, and prepares to escort Clipper to her employer's side.
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Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
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Post by Cannonball on Mar 17, 2010 21:29:30 GMT -5
Cannonball had had enough of rowdy misbehavior a couple of days ago - there's only so much of that one can do before too much attention is drawn to one's self.
However, the rumblings that have drawn so many here tonight eventually reached Cannonball's audios over the past couple of days. He's spent the remainder of those days finding out more information about this gathering, as well as seeking out a tailor for the occasion - one who noted he had similarly-built customers the day before. Cannonball ignored said note, as he had been more interested in getting his outfit done: A rather fancy suit, the main feature being a long black coat, shining silver buttons trailed down the front. Purple shirt, black pants. No shoes, though. Simple, but he did fit in.
And for the time being, his gun-arm had equipped the grabbing-claw attachment - something to draw less attention to himself, too. He may have hidden his Decepticon symbol, but being a transforming robot on a planet that just recently had a bunch make landfall...every little bit helps.
For now, he's hobnobbing a bit, killing time until the main attraction shows up...
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Post by Clipper on Apr 4, 2010 13:33:36 GMT -5
Clipper's mood, like the drinks Miss had had left for her while she'd prepared herself for the show, is fizzy and light and just a little ebullient. Clipper feels like she is floating, just a little, as she accepts the feathered hand of her large, heavily muscled escort, and steps out of the little room she's been waiting in. He is so serious as he paces down the hallway beside her, that he doesn't even so much as crack a smile - as much as such a sharp, wicked beak could smile, that is - but, instead, slicks his feathers down primly along his whole body, and shortens his paces to match Clipper's.
She cannot help but be nervous and excited. This is what the whole week has been spent in preparing for! The shoes - she doesn't even wobble on them any longer, even if she still can't manage the suave confidence that Miss has in similar footwear - the dress - a new one for tonight, even - the careful lessons in courtesy and comportment - not as much as Clipper had privately been dreading for that, though. Miss had said something about keeping her "fresh" and "unstilted" or something like that; Clipper hadn't really understood at the time, but Miss has seemed pleased enough when she'd just smiled politely and nodded in agreement.
Miss had mentioned something similar, come to think of it, when the tray of "refreshments" had been brought in tonight, too. Right before she'd selected a few of the small glasses and removed them with a "tsk tsk."
Ahead, the hallway opens up onto the landing that overlooks the big gathering room where Miss is waiting to show off her wares, and Clipper gets a brief glance of a dizzying array of people waiting there. There seems to be... a lot of them. A lot more than Clipper had been anticipating. Her escort glances down as her pace falters, and Clipper is nervously biting on her lower lip as she lags a little, suddenly intimidated by the thought that... that they're all out there waiting for her to show off the beautiful new dress Miss had put her in.
The dress! Such a dress it is, too! Layers and ruffled layers of the palest, brightest cream silks, with tiny bows and little floral buds in a pale, pale pink satin that somehow manages to brighten her own colors cheerfully. There are little ribbons tied into neat little bows at the cuffs and hems, and even a few with wispy little trailing tails wound around her wrists that flutter every time she moves. Just thinking about them makes her giggle just a little. She'd promised Miss that she would do her very best, and she can't very well do that if she stays here, hiding in the hallway at the top of the stairs, nervously peeking out, now, can she? No, of course not. Hopefully, most of the guests haven't noticed her bashful hesitation; how is she going to impress any of Miss's guests into purchasing Miss's offerings when Clipper is acting like such a timid child? What if everyone has noticed? Oh, please let them not have!
With a nervous little trill, she gives her escort a tremulous smile, and allows him to draw her out of the hallway, onto the landing, guiding her to the top of the wide staircase and the center of all those interested, admiring gazes. She can do this. She can.
Clipper will do her part to make things right with Miss and pay back those repairs Miss had gotten for her. She will!
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Post by SceneMod on Apr 4, 2010 15:52:07 GMT -5
"Perfect, an absolute vision," Shi're murmurs to herself as Clipper approaches, "Possibly even worth losing the lot in the first place."
Clipper's bit of hesitation is noticed be a few of the nearer guests, as is how artfully Shi're has turned her out, and a murmur runs through the crowd. Most below know that it's part of the show, that the flounces and the ribbons and the bows are all designed to just increase the illusion of innocence. That hesitation however, is a difficult thing to fake.
Shi're turns slightly, presenting her own profile to the crowd (knowing full well how nice a profile it is) as Bleak brings her prize even with the top of the stair. She gently touches Clipper's face, smooths her hand over the ribbons adorning the girl's helm and addresses her with quiet assurance.
"Just be your sweet, innocent self, my dear. Walk as I showed you, speak lightly and without too much depth, and let the buyers get their fill. Bleak will attend you through evening as I will hopefully be deep in negotiations of supply and demand."
Shi're steps aside now so that the crowd's view of Clipper is not blocked. She nods at Bleak, indicating that he should start the girl down the stair now.
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Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
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Post by Cannonball on Apr 6, 2010 16:52:16 GMT -5
"...an' then me first mate clocks the scumbucket right in th' face!" Cannonball laughs, as does the small group of attendees he's taken to. He's not exactly lying, telling them that he's a captain of a high-profile freighter ship for a made-up company. "Nuttin' but trouble, them Autobot types, I swear..." he adds, though the hush that falls over the crowd gets the pirate's attention.
Cannonball turns, watching Shi're present Clipper, half slack-jawed. It would appear that the reports of innocence were not so exaggerated.
The pirate raises one hand to his face, effectively wiping the gaping look off his face, and puts on his best 'I'm-Not-Up-To-Devious-Things-I-Swear' grin. "This ought t' be innarestin'..."
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Post by Clipper on Apr 6, 2010 17:35:00 GMT -5
"Yes Miss," Clipper replies, managing not to stammer as she summons up a gracious, if slightly hesitant, smile. "I'll do my best, Miss."
And, really, how bad can it be? It's just like attending Governor Raikaru's things, really. Smile, nod, look interested in what everyone has to say...
Not trip over the unfamiliar heels that suddenly feel like they weight ten times what they did just a moment ago before everyone started watching her... Not tangle the ribbons on her hems and wrists or tug at the ones on her head nervously...
Beside her, Bleak gives a faint little snort, just a bare breath of a sound, but it's enough to grab Clipper's attention, and she darts a glance up at him. He's still staring straight ahead, playing the perfect escort, but there's a faintly disapproving set to the soft skin at the corner of his mouth where the feathers butt up against his sharp beak. He's right. She'll make Miss look bad if she doesn't get this right, and she's been practicing walking in the shoes plenty of times, and there's no more people here than at one of Governor Raikaru's press conferences, and she can do this!
Her hand stops trembling on Bleak's arm and Clipper tries to remember to keep her chin up as they finally make it to the bottom of the steps and she slips into a courteous little curtsey, just like Miss showed her.
"It's very nice of you all to come tonight," she offers in her sweet, breathy little girl's voice, clasping her hands in front of her now as she leans forward just a little to secure her balance and offer a smile to everyone whose eyes - or optics - she meets. She's rather glad, actually, to see other robots there - makes it seem just a tiny bit more like any other day at home, really - and makes sure to catch the optic band of the big gent in the back to give him a smile in particular. He's dressed quite smartly; perhaps he'll be interested in what Miss is offering!
"Pleased to have been invited," a burbling voice at her elbow gurgles. The speaker, when Clipper turns toward him, is somewhat... indistinct and... blobular, like a pile of puce gelatin wrapped in layers of scarves and gold chains. He has a pair of roughly arm shaped appendages toward the top half of his... body, and another couple pairs ranged lower that seem to fidget and rub against each other constantly, as if he's nervous, or excited. His smile is genuine, though, even if his form is not, and he's grinning quite pleasantly at her as he offers her a fluted glass with something fizzy and pink in it.
"Oh, thank you," she replies as she accepts the glass and takes a sip. The bubbles effervesce and tickle her nose and lips and she has to try and stifle the giggle that's threatening to burst forth at the sensation. "Fizzy!" she murmurs, smiling at the blob-guest.
"Too much for you, miss?" another guest - this one altogether different, with long limbs and a long snout and covered in shining, reptilian scales that glitter in the light - asks, tilting his head at her.
"Oh, no, not at all," Clipper replies quickly, shaking her head. It feels so... odd, and yet so fun to be the center of so much attention; Holi would be so jealous if he could see the way everyone was admiring her in the fine dress! "It's just that the bubbles surprised me. I'm not used to fancy drinks like these." She giggles, a tinkling, cheerful little sound that sets the guests to murmuring around her.
Well, so far, so good!
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Post by SceneMod on Apr 6, 2010 23:32:54 GMT -5
Shi're is beaming.
If Clipper steals a glance at her employer, she can be assured that "Miss" is indeed quite pleased. The madam waits until Clipper has moved a bit into the room, then descends the staircase and begins to mingle. Several guests make leading questions in murmured tones, to which Shi're merely replies that they should simply observe the girl. After all, no amount of coaching can create that good of an illusion, and everyone knows Shi're doesn't deal in AI's.
There is about an hour before the auction starts, and Shi're expects Clipper to have the entire room twisted about her finger by that time.
A well-dressed but obviously older robot approaches the Micromaster, one that actually looks rather out of place in the group. Out of place, because he is not looking at Clipper with lazy, thinly-veiled lecherous eyes like most. Instead, his optics are a shade too bright, and he seems almost...fixated on the pink robot in her flouncy dress.
"I have not seen such delicate work in too many years to count, young lady. May I ask your maker?" he smiles, "Of yourself, not your finery, for I know whence that comes from. If you don't mind indulging an old man who sees too few people of quality now a days?"
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Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
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Post by Cannonball on Apr 6, 2010 23:50:38 GMT -5
Well, what do you know, she smiled right at him. Cannonball gives the lady a faint nod in return. He then turns around to those he was speaking to "If ye'd kindly be excusin' me, I wish to meet the young miss."
However, it would appear she's been socially assaulted on both sides before Cannonball can even get close. He does get close, though, to watch this older 'bot and the gelatinous creature, see how they do things, and how Clipper reacts.
Or, he can get distracted by raking optics over the dress and the form that he can figure out under it. One good thing about having an optic band - no giveaways to where one's optics are actually looking.
...though, was he imagining things, or was that just the slightest hint of red under her collar? Hm.
Cannonball takes a drink off of a passing wait staff, sipping it and pretending to be interested in whatever the girl speaks of with the other two, and all the while watching her collar.
--- OOC: Noticing slightest hint of Autobrand done with Clipper's player's permission.
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Post by Clipper on Apr 14, 2010 16:56:32 GMT -5
Clipper is used to dealing with rowdy, obnoxious boys, usually. Young warriors and Captains and even young bureaucrats, yes, but still, all in all, they are all still little more than young boys trying hard to be older than they really are. She doesn't recognize the lecherous desire for what it is, and merely registers it as interest; rightly so, too! Miss has outdone herself on this dress!
But the older mech who steps forward, Clipper does note that there is something different about the way that he looks at her, almost something warmer and more friendly. She probably should not encourage that kind of interest in her, since it is supposed to be Miss Shi're's merchandise that should be the focus here, but... For all that Clipper tries to pretend that she is older than she is - especially around Holi - she is still just a young girl, herself, and is in no way immune to the sweet intoxication of a nice, and honest, compliment.
"Oh!" she giggles, suddenly wishing that she had a fan or something to hide her face behind - surely she must be blushing!* "I, uh... Well, I'm not honestly certain, sir," she replies a little bashfully, ducking her head a little to hide the flush of her cheeks. "I'm not really certain if anyone on Micro knows who their parents are."
And, somehow, that isn't odd or distressing, not to Clipper, anyway. It just is, and she gives another little bashful giggle and offers the older gentlemech a warm smile. "But I thank you for the compliment. You are very kind."
* - yes, I know that blushing robots makes no sense, but it's canon for Victory! So are nuclear family units, so her mention of parents is canon, too. Sorta. Hey, blame the Japanese, not me!
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Post by SceneMod on Apr 14, 2010 22:05:37 GMT -5
Clipper's blushing act sends another murmur through the room, and several pull out phones or datapads, checking their available balance. A couple of younger guys press forward, kneel down, and snap some quick pictures before the blush fades, and the pictures are rapidly sent to phone bidders.
The opening bid is going up by the astrosecond.
The older gentleman tilts his head, expression puzzled. Idly, he fingers his tie tack, a pewter set of horns.
"Micro...Micro... I am unfamiliar with that location," he mutters to himself, "A planet, I assume, given the way you refer to it, and how..unique you are. But I know of no planet by that name..." The robot smiles then, "But do forgive me. I have not been everywhere of course. Perhaps I just missed your homeworld in my travels."
"I'll not keep you from your eager patrons, however." he waves his hand at the crowd, "If you've time before the auction, " he meets Beak's eye, and the feathered escort gives an almost imperceptible nod, "I'll be out of the crush, near the fountain. I would love to hear more about your homeworld. I am...a collector of sorts, and I enjoy visiting new places. My name is Vy'lien"
A few of that crush frown at the robot's words. Mainly because they know they can't match the price if he puts in a claim for the girl. Vy'lien bows low before turning and striding out of the crowd.
Skippable for the next few rounds.
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Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
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Post by Cannonball on Apr 19, 2010 12:49:12 GMT -5
Once Vy'lien is gone, Cannonball is given an open window!
And boy does he take it, giving just a moment of time to pass so he doesn't look -so- much like a swooping hawk going after a mouse.
Thankfully, Cannonball has no idea who Vy'lien is. Ignorance is bliss, after all.
"A good evenin' to ye, miss...ah, I don't believe I got your name," he says, tapping at his chin. "Me name's 'Ardwire, and it be most pleasurable to make yer acquaintance."
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Post by Clipper on Apr 20, 2010 14:40:17 GMT -5
Clipper is a little surprised by the sudden flurry of photography, but she tries to flick a smile in the direction of every flash - after the fact - trying to graciously throttle down her rising nervousness. It's easier to pretend that there aren't quite so many people here all watching her when she's just speaking to one or two of them at once; being out here, in the middle of them all, is significantly less fun than she'd imagined being such a center of attention ever being.
"Micro is a bit out of the way, I think," she offers. "Maybe. I haven't been home in... in a while."
Does Micro even exist here? That's a really disturbing thought, and homesickness rises swiftly for a moment befre she recalls herself and manages to stifle it under another smile. If it doesn't exist here... well, then... then she and Holi will figure something out.
She follows Vy'lien's gaze as he glances up to Bleak, almost as if seeking permission to speak to him again, herself, which also doesn't go unnoticed by the patrons watching; more than one of them murmurs a soft comment about her "biddable nature". Clipper is distracted by Vy'lien's parting that she misses those quiet remarks, though.
"Thank you, sir. I would enjoy that very much," she replies, and then follows Bleak's lead as he gently guides her further into the room, smiling politely at everyone whose eyes or optics she meets.
Her glass is rapidly draining, but at least the warm fuzz is seeping back, and it's just a little easier to have all those eyes on her. Easier still when that dapper mech in the neatly tailored suit steps up to claim her attention.
"And a good evening to you, too, sir," she replies, deftly dropping into a neat little curtsey, glass and all. "My name is Clipper, and it's a pleasure to meet you as well," she adds as she rises again, amidst another swift flurry of photographs.
A polite, courteous young lady should never be so gauche as to ask questions of her own, but Clipper is curious enough - and fuzzy enough - to forget herself. "Where are you from, Mister Hardwire?"
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Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
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Post by Cannonball on Apr 21, 2010 16:57:19 GMT -5
"Ah, Clipper - a fine name befittin' a fine lass like yourself," Cannonball answers, giving a slight bow in response to her curtsy.
The rampant photography worries him - if things were to go awry here, he doesn't want to be caught up in photographic evidence. If Starscream or Shockwave knew he was just screwin' around for his own gain down here... Well, it wouldn't be good for Cannonball's continuing existence. He glares a bit at some of the closer ones, waving them back a bit with his grabby-claw hand. "Oi, back up some, give th' poor girl some bleedin' breathing room! Buncha smeltin' cyber-vultures, I swear..."
A momentary huff, then Cannonball adjusts the cravat under his chin. "My apologies, Miss Clipper - it does bug me to see such blatant disrespect paid to a lady." If Cannonball lays it on any thicker, he's gonna need a building permit. "An' that's Captain Hardwire of th' grand shipping vessel Eclipse. I live among th' stars, carrying cargo from system to system."
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Post by Clipper on Apr 23, 2010 18:09:32 GMT -5
If "Hardwire" wants fewer photographs taken, then perhaps he shouldn't keep complimenting Clipper, because she giggles rather prettily and her cheeks flush once again, at his reply. There are [i[fewer[/i] quick flashes this time, however; either his influence, or the fact that the proxy bidders are quite good at their jobs and already have the photos they need keeps most of them hovering at the edges of the little ring now forming around Clipper and the spacer captain.
"I don't mind," she lies courteously, tilting her head to one side to offer him a rather seeet, disarming smile. "They have their duties to perform, after all."
"But a Captain!" she gushes, and that is not feigned. "How exciting! You must have so many thrilling stories about your adventures!"
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Cannonball
Minor
Me, I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.
Posts: 470
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Post by Cannonball on Apr 26, 2010 6:53:12 GMT -5
If he really wanted less photographs, he'd pop a laser into all the cameras present, but that's not conducive to getting what he wants.
"Maybe they do, but perhaps they're not familiar with th' concept of personal space on this 'ere planet," he grumbles. The irritation is short lived as the Micromaster enthuses about his rank, causing Cannonball to puff up in posture. "Aye, I do - freight 'auling in this area is mighty dangerous, so there's plenty o' run-ins with pirates an' thieves and the like."
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