Slaves to Art
This upscale salon for slaves offers many services, from grooming to body art. Like many stores under the upper deck of the plaza, it doubles as a support tower, and is cylindrical in shape, with partitions added to separate it into multiple rooms. Unlike traditional Babelite homes, it lacks the overall openness, with relatively narrow halls and 'doors' made from hanging strands of beads. The main room has several grooming stations, a few of them specifically for the more procedures like piercing and tattooing.

It's been quiet so for today for Pierce - aside from the usual tending to Sephia and Helse. The cheetah is relaxing in the nest room when the entry bell is rung out front, and a rather course voice notes, "Oy, you're nekkid! And painted. I guess that means I'm at da right place. I wanna impress a girl who's got lots of built-in bling, if'n you know what I mean?" Orca!

Pierce sits up ... then his ears promptly splay flat. "Oh, you can't be serious. What is he doing here? Why is he here?" the savanite thinks, mentally groaning. "Shouldn't have been so nice to him."

"Well, what did you have in mind?" Helse asks, between audible puffs of her pipe.

Pierce gets up from the nest of naga and slinks over to the door. There he presses himself flat against the wall and listens. "You want nothing! You want to lleeeaaave," he thinks.

"Uh.. well.. whatcha got?" Orca is heard to ask. "I dun want this lady to get bored with me, see? So it's gotta be something she'll really.. appreciate!"

"Hmmm, let's see what we have to work with then," Helse says, her accented Standard making her sound a bit bored herself. "Take your clothes off, and I'll get our display model.."

"The rat form is crazy! Appreciate would be .... extreme," Pierce thinks and cringes. Being an Igorina is like having a really embarrassing nightmare; like dreams of walking in to an inn buck-naked. You just can't control yourself!

Pierce rubs his face. He really doesn't want to go out there, but it's also not like he has a choice. He has to play the roll so ... the savanite slinks through the curtains and makes his way back to the salon floor. He doesn't sign to Helse, he simply bows his head to her.

In the middle of the room, surrounded by Nagas, Orca looks a bit embarrassed after he gets the rest of his clothes off. Helse takes Pierce's shoulder and turns him towards the rat. "Stick out your tongue," she whispers to the cheetah.

Pierce looks at Orca a bit sheepishly, smiles, then sticks out his tongue. Nestled in the center of the rough surface gleams a small metal ball.

"Inala's britches, he's decked out as much as Nikky!" Orca yelps. "I.. I wouldn't need that much right?" he asks Helse.

"Not very brave, are you!" Pierce thinks. He actually has to force himself not to smirk.

"Well, you are a bit plain right now," the Eeee notes. "A few earrings.. no ear tattoos or studding.." Helse reaches down and further examines the Skreek by feel, causing Orca to stand up very straight. "Hmmm, some room to work. Perhaps a stud or two here.."

"What?" Orca squeaks. "Through me third leg? Uh.. does that hurt?" He seems to be asking Pierce that last part.

And now Pierce smirks at the skreek. "Better you than me, bucko," the savanite thinks. At the question Pierce nods several times, then spreads his arms wide as if to say a lot.

"Tattoossss are good," Sephia suggests, resting her chin on the Skreek's shoulder from behind. "No better way to prove your devotion.."

"Like a heart and initials?" Orca asks, and holds his hands up (which have bare skin).

And of course Pierce taps his own studding as if to indicate it's better. Also to indicate where. Granted Mordecai is tattooed there and Snowcora seems to like it.

Pierce nods enthusiastically. He gestures towards one of the naga in the room, then taps his chest, then nods again.

"We all like it," one of the serpentine women notes, causing Orca to blink. "You're a girl?" he asks in surprise.

"What do you think, Pierce?" Helse asks, leaning against the cheetah. "Tattoo and studding?"

"They insist every day when I'm here, so yes, they like it," Pierce thinks and chuffles, amused. He also gestures towards Helse as if to indicate she likes it too.

"It won't.. cause any performance issues, right?" Orca asks, just to make sure. "I gotta get her preggers, so can't be falling down on the job ye know.."

Alptraum eyes the rat and rubs his chin, thinking. He then nods to Helse and grins, perhaps a bit evilly at that. He taps the row of studding on the top of his own body, then also taps the underside, perhaps meaning both sides on the skreek. The savanite then gestures towards the tattoo station, then towards a naga. So, perhaps he means another studded serpent.

"We have many dessssign optionsss," Sephia teases. "Sssnakes, dragonss, tree trunks.. or something more persssssonilized, like a name.."

Pierce looks at Sephia, then rolls his eyes. He's at least pristine in that sense. He's also trying to not laugh at the thought of the name of Nikky tattooed on someone.

"Or magic charms," Helse suggests. "Fertility charms of Inala are very popular."

Pierce grins at that suggestion and can't help but rub the area just below his navel for some reason.

He also gives a 'thumbs up' to Helse for that suggestion, too. This is right after Sephia's comment, though and looks horrified suddenly. If that gets misinterpreted...

"I been trying pretty hard wi' her, so maybe two or three charms," Orca mutters. "How long dis stuff take.. and how much coin?"

"And as much as you try, it'll never happen. She can't get pregnant," Pierce thinks. "So all that pain for nothing!"

"So, you're decided then?" Helse asks. "Three ring charms, and dorsal and ventral studding?"

"Oh.. well, I guess the studs too then.. err.." the Skreek says, a bit intimidated by Pierce for some reason. "How long it take to heal and all that?"

"That depends on how much extra you want to pay," Helse says. "We have an associate who can heal you up in a moment. You'll have to negotiate the price with her then. Otherwise it will take a few days to a few weeks, depending on how fast you normally heal."

"Weeks?" Orca asks. "I can't be outta commission that long. Where's this healer of yours?"

Pierce's brow goes up at that one. He can't let her see Tulani, after all. He holds up his hand, then covers his eyes like a blindfold, then gestures to the skreek. Maybe he means he would have to be blindfolded.

"She'll show up before we close," Helse assures. "For the rest.. 90 Shekels for the labor, and another 50 for materials."

"Hey, I helped her get a sale! And no pain for me," the savanite thinks happily.

"That a good chunk o' change," the Skreek notes, but then gets a determined look. "Nikky's worth it though."

Amelia says, "Good!" Sephia says, and then she and other 'girls' drag Orca into one of the seats and start to strap him in. Before he can protest, she sticks a thick leather strap in his mouth, saying, "Bite thisss for the pain..""

Pierce pats Sephia's side, then actually leans over and kisses her scaly cheek. Then looking to Helse, he taps his chest, then gestures to the back room as if asking if he can widthdraw.

"You can go, Pierce," Helse notes, while Orca tries to indicate that he wants the anaesthetic by just nodding a lot.

Still, he might also stay and watch a bit. A squirming rat is fun. He saunters right over to Orca and runs one of his claws along the rat's cheek, then heads to another station to relax and watch.

The savanite also idly plays with the ring in his nose as he watches. "Far better him than me," he thinks.

There's something odd about serpents playing with a rodent. Despite the Skreek's panic, he still responds to Sephia's ministrations.. and the attachment of the little noose to ensure the working area doesn't change on them.

At one point Pierce licks his lips. Perhaps he's trying to make Orca nervous now.

Just when the tattooing needle is brought to bear and Orca's eyes roll back into his head, the door chimes again. "I'm.. uh.. I'm here to see Pierce?" a very soft voice asks in Standard.

This causes the savanite to blink. "Surely that isn't Butterscotch?" he wonders. Soft voices are often does, after all.

"Who may I tell him it is?" Helse asks the costumer - who of course answers, "Butterscotch.."

"Huh. It is. I wonder what she wants?" Pierc wonders. And since curiosity killed the cat, the savanite heads in the direction of those voices.

The caramel doe stands at the front desk, looking.. out of place. She's dressed in Babelite fashion, which unfortunately isn't well suited to someone with a bit more fluff and curves than an Eeee. It looks a bit strained as a result. "Oh, there you are," the doe says, smiling when Pierce appears. "Can I see you in private?"

Pierce smiles and waves to the doe. He still doesn't sign since he's in public, but it's not like she understands it anyway. "A fee? I don't think she's here for that!" he thinks.

Butterscotch doesn't seem surprised, and pays the fee before coming towards Pierce.

This causes Pierce to blink again. Still, he knows his job and so takes her arm lightly in his and guides her towards the back rooms just past the curtain.

"Are you all.. healed up?" the doe asks, and looks down to ostensibly check for bruises or scars. "You aren't upset that I helped with that, are you?"

Pierce dutifully lets the doe 'inspect' him. He, of course, has to look for the ceiling. "No," he signs to the doe. "Feels weird, but getting used to it."

Butterscotch glances at the signs, but watches Pierce's face to figure out his actual response. "I'm very grateful for being rescued by you. I'm meeting with the Merchant's Guild and Saskanar Fruit Growers Association tonight to finish what my father came to do. Do you think it's sad that you're the only person I feel I can talk to?"

"And I'm one that cannot talk?" Pierce asks in sign. "No, I don't. Why would it be sad? You know you can trust me, and that's rare in this city." The savanite then stops signing for a moment and ruffles the top of her head and smiles. "I'm just harmless, makes it easy to talk to." he adds.

The doe kneels down in the blanks, and pats the spot next to her. "Thanks," she says. "I wish you could be with me tonight, but I really need to do this without a security blanket."

Pierce kneels down beside the doe. "You don't need anyone," he signs, "You're tougher than me. You have survived much worse."

"Can I have a hug though, even though I really don't need it?" Butterscotch asks.

Pierce leans over and hugs the doe. He even licks her ear lightly, which probably feels odd given it is both rough and smooth where the stud is.

The doe doesn't seem to mind, nor is she willing to end the hug any time soon. "I trust you," she mutters. "It was all so horrible in that dungeon. I didn't think anyone would ever be kind to me again."

Pierce can't sign in this position, but he communicates anyway by squeezing her lightly after she speaks. He even licks her ear again, from base to tip. "One good deed done, at least," he thinks.

"So.. will you help me overcome some of the bad memories?" the does asks, looking up now from the cheetah's chest.

Pierce's head tilts as he looks down at her. "How?" he ends up asking in sign.

"It's just.." Now the girl seems embarrassed. "I've been raped a lot, but never.. you know.. made love. I'm worried that I won't be able to, because I'll panic or.." She pauses, then looks back up and says, "But I trust you. You'll know what to do."

"That's a rather odd request," Pierce thinks as he looks at the doe. He then gestures to himself and signs, "But I'm all ... you deserve better than a slave. Are you sure?"

Butterscotch may or may not understand Pierce's question, when she says, "I know you won't hurt me. But.. if you don't want me.."

Pierce rubs the spot between his eyes. "It isn't that it's just ... weird," he thinks. He looks at the doe again for a moment, then cups his hand under her chin. His pressure is light, but he draws her up and kisses her.

It's pretty clear that Butterscotch doesn't have much kissing experience (at least, compared to other does in Pierce/Alptraum's past). Still, she only trembles a little.

And here is where lessons from a Yodhinala, as well as been a 'chosen' of Inala herself comes in handy. He has a lot of experience; and having worn the body of a doe before, knows how that body react. What works best with a doe is to start with grooming, and that he does. His tongue is built for it, in fact. He grooms here slowly and everywhere, trying to get her to relax.

The grooming does kick in Lapi instincts, and Butterscotch relaxes. She even removes clothes as they get in the way of the grooming, and does the Lapi 'purr' - a very contented muttering.

Once the doe is relaxed, Pierce becomes a little more ... involved, with both massage and a bit more intimate grooming; demonstrating the 'value' of one of his 'enhancements'. It's not until she is very relaxed and she's even closed her eyes before he joins with her; showing how it can feel if it is gentle and with someone trusted.

The doe keeps wanting to cling to Pierce at first, but eventually overcomes her insecurity and just lets things happen. The cheetah knows he's succeeded when Butterscotch goes from passive to active participation and really embraces her Lapi heritage. There are a few bites from those big teeth, but nothing bad enough to dissuade Pierce.

Pacing is everything, and in order to make her feel better about herself, once she becomes active, he lets her eventually take the lead. Pacing and movement are guided by her reactions to his body. "I hope she doesn't fall in love with me. That would be complicated," he thinks at one point, before the feeling of it all helps to clear away that worry.

For the final leg, Pierce finds himself on his back as the doe takes over completely - which is just as well, since even he has limits to his stamina, and this lets him conserve some energy. Finally, the girl stretches out on top of him and kisses him again (much better this time). "Thanks," she whispers. "I don't feel broken anymore. Or helpless."

"Like your studs?" the savanite signs to her while he rests on his back, amused how she basically took over. He kisses her cheek, too.

The doe replies by.. licking Pierce's fingers as he signs. "I really need to learn that sometime," she notes.

"Yes, you do," Pierce signs, then mock-bites the doe's own nose. She's come a long way from the misshapen doe he rescued. A very long way. Practically unrecognizable.

"Do I need to pay extra for cuddling for a while?" Butterscotch asks, with more than a hint of humor in her voice.

Pierce smirks and taps the ring in his nose, then taps her nose. Maybe he means she'll have to get a nose ring?

The doe grabs her nose and blinks. "No way! My mom would kill me! She freaked out when I wanted to get an ear-clip even!" she claims, sounding a bit funny with her hand over her nose.

Pierce pouts. He even sticks out his lower lip. Maybe he thinks she thinks he's ugly the way he looks all 'decorated'.

"You're cute though," the doe insists, and kisses the pouty lip. "When.. uh.. will you be ready to go again?" she asks a bit coyly.

"If I had Inala's charm and her blessing again, right now," the savanite thinks, amused and remembering when he was under that particular blessing. Still, being all normal means it'll be at least fifteen minutes, probably half an hour. He tries to sign this, then just resumes cuddling the doe.

Butterscotch seems content to just be held and nuzzled for now. There are some yelps of pain from the front of the shop, and hissed commands to 'stop squirming or I'll bite you'.. followed by silence. Maybe they really did bite the Skreek to calm him down.

Pierce smirks and glances towards the door. "I really like Sephia," he admits to himself. He also resumes grooming the doe in the meantime to keep her calm too. HE also idly wonders if he should get studding on the other side too but then remembers how nasty THAT was!

"So, do you have kids?" Butterscotch asks. Then blinks, and says, "Oh right, you're a stud... you must have kids!"

Pierce nods a but, then shrugs as if he doesn't know how many! And that's true in a sense, he doesn't know regarding Phlagaea and Rosalind.

"That must be hard," the doe says. "Lapis are big on family. And like big families! I have so many nieces and nephews and siblings. One of these days I'll meet a nice buck. Right?"

Pierce nods repeatedly. He also grins and taps his nose ring again. Maybe he means he should have one, or something. Most likely he's teasing!

"Yeah, I'll get one that's all dolled up like you!" the doe laughs. "And keep him chained to the bed, or watching the kids.."

"At least she doesn't want to buy me. That would be awkward," the savanite thinks, "Or Helse doesn't either, for that matter." Stil, his ears wiggle in amusement at the suggestion, then he licks her nose again. He also bucks just slightly, indicating he's, well, ready again!

"Okay, my turn now," the Lapi claims, and starts grooming Pierce with her tongue to get started.

And the savanite is content to relax and let the doe do the work this time. It's nice to be pampered sometimes, after all. Even Hortense and her torture machines that immobilized you at least had the feature of getting to really focus on, and enjoy, it.

As things progress, there's still the occasional outburst from the salon. Including a loud, amused cackle that could only be Tulani! "Is he actually passed out?" the Sphynx asks. "Darn, I'd love to see his expression when it looks like I'm about to slice it off.."

Pierce snorts and runs his hand over his face. "Wow, I made the entire time here without any pain from Sephia! That's momentous," he has to think, even in the middle of things with the doe!

Of course, once Tulani finishes with applying the Light to Orca.. she'll probably be coming back to the nest to check on Pierce!

So, Pierce has to finish up with Buttersotch! He's gentle, but insistent, as he encourages her to come to an end, particularly with how he shifts to make use of his studding! "Owner here," he signs too.

The doe squeaks in surprise, but soon takes advantage of the sensations. She gasps out just as a feline face pokes through the bead curtain.. and goes wide-eyed.

And Pierec sticks his tongue out at Tulani! ... while focusing his efforts on Butterscotch. Not a very respectful slave!

When things come to their accelerated conclusion, Tulani politely withdraws.. although with a sly grin on her face. In her distraction, Butterscotch didn't even hear the stirring of the curtain it seems. She rolls off and pants, her chest heaving. "Wow.." she mutters.

Pierce has to lay there panting, too, for a bit. Eventually, though, the savanite rolls to his side and noses her cheek. "Owner here. Must go," he signs to the doe. He kisses her cheek one more time, then rises to go meet Tulani.

"Oh!" Butterscotch says, finally figuring it out and hurrying to dress herself again.

Pierce smiles to Butterscotch one more time, then slips through the curtain to find out what the devious cat is up to.

Outside, Tulani leans against the wall with a creen-eating-grin on her face. "I suppose you had a hand in convincing Orca to get all of that.. work done?" she asks.

Pierce spreads his hands and grins. "/He deserved it,/" he signs, "For obsessing so much. He'll be fine. Better him than me./"

"Well, I guess that'll be for Nikky to judge," Tulani says, and.. sniffs Pierce and licks her lips. "Hmmm, I think we'll head back early today too. I have a sudden craving for bunny.."

Pierce's brow arches. "/Is that so? And just where are you getting one?" he signs.

The Sphynx reaches up and tugs on Pierce's nose-ring. "I know someone who can supply a buck on demand, you see," she purrs.

"Ah, but you can't make him change," Pierce points out as he has to follow the pull on his nose.

"You can try. He's still a bit upset over the studding, you see," Pierce signs, then sticks out his tongue.

"Oh, but I haven't had a chance to find out if it was worth it or not," Tulani pouts.

"Well, maybe if you're really nice ... and we use Inala's altar," Pierce teases, then leans over and licks Tulani this time. "Lets go home."