Savanite-Traum follows Tulani down to Mave's clothing storage wearing nothing but his jewelry and the white collar that Tulani put on him earlier. He's also quiet for a change, but his body enforces that. Oh the comments he has wanted to make. The sight of the clothing through causes him to actually sumble and stare with wide eyes. "I have never seen so much clothing in one place in my life! Even Rosalind does not have this much!" he finally signs with one hand in rough and quick motions. He even tries to snort a laugh, but it comes out like a strangled bark. He sighs, then grins sheepishly.
"Let's see.." Tulani says, biting the tip of her finger as she looks around. "What sort of impression should I make? Exotic and foreign? Cute and dangerous? Serious and.. conservative?" she asks her 'slave' of the moment. "Or should I dress to match you?"
"/What I would want is not necessarily appropriate and would involve using needles on you,/" 'Traum signs as he peers at the racks. "/So, probably something with hits of being exotic, but a level of serious to it. Cute and foreign might make you a target. Possibly a mix of Chonotopian and Emirate."
"And not too wealthy," the savanite adds.
"And here I was thinking of wearing those nipple-shields.." Tulani teases. "Chronotopian we have. And not too wealthy? Slaves aren't cheap you know."
"No, but you don't have a bodyguard so you don't want to look like someone to smack over the head and rob. Hm, you could dress like a well-off 'pirate' ... privateer," the Savanite points out. As for the nipple shield comment, he sticks his tongue out.
"A privateer might get interesting 'job offers' too. Could be telling on the current state of things," He signs with his left hand as he taps his chin with his right.
"A rogue?" Tulani asks, looking thoughtful. "It'd give me an excuse to carry a sword. "And a hat. Do you see any good hats?"
"For a rogue?" 'Traum signs, "Let me look ... and you should give me a name. I can't use my real one here." And off he goes in to the racks to search! It's a few minutes, which gives Tulani some time to think, before he returns with an odd array of hats. He's found a poodle's beret, some sort of bowler-style hat, a hat made entirely of fake fruit, a wide-brimmed stuffed with kujaku feathers, and several worn 'felt' hats, some wide brimmed, some with bands, and even a leather tricorn pirate hat.
"The pirate hat would work, if we make it less piratey," Tulani notes, as she ponders a proper name for her 'slave' - and then she lights up as if inspired. "Oh, it's obvious! You will be known as.. Pierce," she proclaims, one hand pointing skyward.
"Now I want to bite you," 'Pierce' signs, then rolls his eyes. The other hats get dropped (except for the fruit one, he puts that one on. Why? Who knows?). The tricorn hat he turns over in his hands, thinking. He works the back flap loose so it only has the front two edges still up, then grabs a couple kujaku feathers from the other hat and sticks them under the left brim. He offers that to Tulani for inspection.
The Sphynx puts it on her head, and goes to the long (expensive) dressing mirror, where she strikes various poses and tries different angles for the hat. So far, it's her only item of clothing. "This calls for leather pants," she notes. "Preferably the laces-on-the-side variety so I can fit them properly. Don't you think?"
"It'll make your butt easier to admire," Pierce claims in sign, salutes, and disappears back into the racks. Well, mostly disappears. His tail sticks out from the lower rack.
"If you find something nice, I might consider letting you wear pants," Tulani calls back.
A bark comes from the rack. It's still a few minutes and several rotations of the racks, before Pierce returns with a bundle of leather in his arms. "They were in the 'fetishes' section," he signs to Tulani, "And you intend to have me walk around naked? I would if you asked me to, you know." He grins, then hands over the brown leather pants. They're 'worn' in that the shade varies here and there, and the sides from the base all the way up to the hips are split and held together with lacing. There's no liner, so leg fur would definitely be showing! They also need a tail-hole cut, but may fit otherwise.
"Well, try to fit them onto me," Tulani says, grinning. "Just like old times," she adds with a wink.
Pierce licks Tulani's nose. The pants have to be set to the side while he undresses the Sphynx. And of course he touches her a lot more than he would need to just to undress her. He also tends to stay behind her so she can't quite see what he's doing to boot. So when he actually gives her butt a squeeze, it's a bit out of the blue! It's not long after that he's easing her legs into the loosely laced pants and pulls them up, stopping just below her tail for the moment. He doesn't want to modify them if they'll look bad otherwise. So ... he works on lacing up the sides instead. The stitching does end up spread fairly wide at Tulani's hips; but then sphynx hips are far wider than Eeee.
"Such a naughty slave you are," Tulani purrs. "With that chain on you, I'm surprised you're still frisky!" She doesn't help be wiggling her hips to make sure the leather isn't creaking or rubbing her wrong.
"I just shifted. It takes some time before that area ... reacts," Pierce signs over Tulani's shoulder. He then purrs right in her ear. Now he steps back to actually take a serious look. "With a tail slit cut and the pants a bit higher, they would look good. If you're concerned about the exposure, you could wear something light and white underneath to show at the sides."
"It's Babel," Tulani points out. "And it's all play-acting too! How often do the locals get to see someone with more curves than an Eeee but less cleavage than a Fnerf?" She turns to examine the back in the mirror. "Can you get me a stool? I want to see if I pop out when I sit."
Pierce actually does an elaborate bow, then darts off. A stool is easy to find in here; they're used for fitting shoes. He's back in a few seconds and sets it down behind Tulani.
"So, you plan to act. Have you decided on personality? Have you decided how you with me to act?" he signs the questions.
"And you seem to know sign well enough to read, but can you sign?" Pierce also asks.
"It.. will depend on how we look," Tulani decides, and sits down to make sure her pants don't explore or ride down. She holds up her hands, and signs, "Tying knots easier than formal."
Once the tail-cut is in the pants, they'll probably fit fine without too much movement. "Yes. Now how do you want me to dress?" he signs, then heads back into the racks, probably to get more for Tulani.
"Hmmm, I'll have to look around and see what's available," Tulani notes, and practices sucking in her gut in the mirror. "And you'd better not be looking for a corset or bustier. Maybe a vest would be okay, or I can use some of my Chronotopian outfit.."
Another bark comes from the racks and then the savanite returns. He's carrying a white blouse; something appropriate for a swashbucker, certainly. He's also carrying something else wrapped up, but what can't be seen quite yet. He goes behind her again and promptly pulls the shirt over her head without asking!
"Ack!" Tulani complains. "What are you hiding?" she demands, once her head pokes free again.
Pierce just smiles innocently then drapes something quickly around her torso and starts cinching the front. It's not tight, but it has some eight to it and it does seem built for those with wings. Once Tulani can get a look at the mirror she sees she's wearing some sort of chitin-shiny 'scale armor' of a sort. It's built like a vest and has leather patches covering the front in wide strips; each with rather intricate abstract scrollwork pressed into the leather. It makes Tulani look like her torso is scaled with a beautiful leather vest covering it. It weighs maybe five pounds, and would protect her vital organs in a pinch.
"Wow, this hardly seems a costume piece," she notes, smiling wide and turning around in front of the mirror. "You may have earned yourself some pants with this!"
"Well, then I guess I'll take it back," Pierce signs and starts undoing the laces. He has ot use one hand to aign, "It is probably for travel protection."
"I like it!" Tulani says, wrapping her arms around her middle to hold onto it. "You don't have to wear pants."
Pierce's ears wiggle in amusement. "Are you right or left handed?" he signs.
"Right handed," Tulani says, wiggling the fingers of her right hand, before reaching out to beep Pierce's nose.
"Good, I don't have to go get the other one," Pierce signs and sticks out his tongue, the stud in it glinting. He grabs the part that wrapped up the torso-scale and drapes it on Tulani's left shoulder, then buckles a strap around her neck. After a short bit of fiddling it becomes apparent it's a velvet shoulder-cape, split to drape over a wing and also as some leather padding on the left shoulder. "Dualist cape," he explains in sign.
"It looks fancy," Tulani remarks, and asks, "When you look at this outfit, what's the first line of work that comes to mind?"
Pierce plops the hat on Tulani's head and steps back. He purses his thin black lips as he thinks. "Rebellious noble or successful adventurer," he signs. "Or a privateer captain that has been very successful."
"Hmmm, the last one might be best," Tulani notes. "That way I can play up the mercenary angle and ask about which noble houses might be interested in a privateer."
"You would need to be aggressive then. Possibly mean," Pierce suggests in sign. "Confident in getting what you want."
"I'll need my regular boots then," Tulani says. "Nothing says confidence like well-tailored expensive boots."
"With some modifications to the costume, that role could be improved. Parts could be 'roughed up' a little. Make sure there are some blade scores on the armor,/" Pierce suggests.
"You could also claim I was one of the prizes taken from a raid," he adds.
"In that light, does my white face-streak come across as a scar?" the Sphynx adds. "I'll have to dress you up to show you off then."
"Show me off?" Pierce asks. He taps his chin then signs, "Will need to run a thin line of oil down the streak so the fur lays different to fake it as a scar."
"That would work," Tulani says, nodding and making sure the hat stays on when she does. "Now, what sort of slave are you going to be? A captured breeding stud from an Abu Dhabian merchant prince, perhaps?"
That suggestion makes the savanite snort and rub his forehead. "I suppose with how I am decorated that would work," he agrees, ears wiggling. "The chain being in place so that breeding value is optimized by only allowing explicitly?"
"Exactly," Tulani says, patting the chained up area. "Like a coinpurse! Plus, we might get some business if there are other slave owners. Then you'd be able to get some inside information from the slave girls."
"You're going to sell my services?" Pierce signs. "That is rather mercenary! And that would mean I would need to be dressed, or undressed, to accentuate my value."
"And how will you ensure I don't try to escape?" Pierce signs after some thought, then grins widely.
"A leash, of course!" Tulani notes. "Clipped to your collar.. or to your chain, depending.."
Piece's ears wiggle. "Additional suggestion. Leg chains. They have some in the racks. Makes it look like I can't run, but could set them to easy-release," he suggests.
"That may be a bit much," Tulani says. "It would hint that I don't have you under control. Should check for riding crops though.." She heads over to the 'weird' accessories section.
"Fair point," Pierce signs as Tulani wanders off.
The Sphynx begins filling her arms with things. Belts, chains, a beret.. and then she hits the leather area. "Ooo, chaps.." she purrs, and collects more pieces.
Pierce rubs his forehead. "She's crazy, but at least in an amusing way!" he thinks to himself as he watches her collect such an odd assortment.
"Okay, back to the mirror!" Tulani commands once she's got her arms full. There's a wicked grin on her face as well.
Again the savanite bows with a flourish and saunters over to the mirror. He's also swishing is tail in a lazy-seductive sort of way. "Yep, crazy," he thinks.
Tulani first grabs Pierce's tail, and attaches a leather tie-on with a bell attached. Then she starts strapping on the chaps, which only cover the front of the cheetah's legs.
Pierce snaps his tail and the bell rings merrily. "Is the bell necessary?" he signs. He also eyes the chaps dubiously. They provide no modesty at all, but that's probably the point. They 'show off'.
Instead of a full loincloth, Tulani adds a leather loin 'flap', and spends some time adjusting it. "I think it's cute! And you can use it to signal to me," she points out. "More versatile than putting one on your collar. Now jump up and down a bit; I want to see how flappy your flap is."
Pierce sighs and smirks. The poor Savanite hops up and down several times!
"Okay, it always falls back into place properly," Tulani declares, and dips into the pile of 'stuff' to get some white leather arm-bands. She puts them on both upper arms and wrists, and links them with shiny chitin chains. Another chain is hung across the cheetah's chest, using the barbell piercings as anchors.
Pierce watches this, ears twitching this way and that. His expression moves from curious, to amused, to suddenly distracted. "Chest chain is noticeable," he signs as his tail twitches.
"Too heavy?" Tulani asks, as she sets the beret atop Pierce's long brown mane, and adjusts it to a jaunty angle.
"Not too heavy, just ... noticeable. Movement is like ... being felt up," Pierce explains through sign. His expression is ... well ... he's probably enjoying it!
"Are you sure?" Tulani asks, and feels up the cheetah to make sure. "You are not very squishy up here," she notes.
"The tugging still feels nice," Pierce signs in reply, amused. He even leans over and licks Tulani's nose. "I feel like meat for sale," he adds after that, ears wiggling.
"That's the idea," Tulani says, and licks back where one end of the chain links to Pierce's chest. "It means people will be paying less attention to me." Then she clips the end of the leather leash to the collar to complete the outfit.
"Plus, this outfit works either way," the Sphynx claims. "Male or female. In case you need to change."
"My butt is sure on display," Pierce signs before pulling his head back some to tug on the leash now connecting the pair. "And would you prefer a female slave, then...?"
"Depends on where we end up," Tulani claims. Then looks at Pierce once more, tilting her head a bit. "Hmmm, I don't think even your butt is enough to distract from having silver eyes though. I'll be right back!" she says, and heads back to the main part of the bunker where Mave is.
Pierce watches Tulani dart off, then ends up staring at himself in the mirror. He poses this way and that, then even turns around and looks over his shoulder. "Okay, I do look good. I would buy my services," he decides, grinning like a goofy fool.
A few moments later, Tulani returns with a pipe-smoking Mave, who is holding a wooden case. She looks 'Pierce' up and down, and then gooses him.
This elicits a bark, then the savanite ends up rubbing his butt. "Was that necessary?" Pierce signs one-handed and eyes Mave.
"We once had a priestess who brought in many donations by training slaves," Mave notes, and then opens the case. Set on red velvet are.. eyes. Or rather, glass bowls made to resemble eyes. There are even pink, violet and white ones.
"Do I need training?" Pierce starts to sign, then stops partway and looks down at the disturbing items in the case. "That is ... creepy. What are those?" he signs.
Mave plucks out the golden-brown pair, along with a bottle of clear fluid and a fine cloth, which she uses to wash them. "Iris covers," the woman explains. "They go on your eye."
Pierce blinks several times and then takes a step away from Mave. "In my eye?" he signs. "That sounds uncomfortable."
"The first few times, it is," Mave says, holding one of the wet lenses on the end of a finger. "They are very valuable, so do not flinch or blink as I put them in.." The lens approaches the cheetah's face now, targeted at his right eye.
Pierce's lips draw back into a toothy snarl and his tail lashes around rapidly, ringing that bell like crazy. "Be very careful," he signs quickly, then actually reaches up and holds his eye open to keep himself from blinking!
Squidge. It is a very bizarre sensation, and his eye rolls all over the place until the lens finally lines up and he can see clearly. "Hey, that actually looks pretty real," Tulani notes.
Ring goes that tail when it settles on; the poor savanite has a full both twitch. He ends up blinking a few times afterward and looks about. "Slight golden tint at the edge of vision. Feels odd," he signs. He takes another deep breath, then goes to hold his left eye open.
Now that he knows what to expect, this one isn't as much of a surprise, and settles in quicker. Before he can finish blinking though, Tulani turns him around to look in the mirror. "Recognize yourself at all now?" she asks.
The person that looks back in the mirror causes Pierce to blink. "Not at all," he signs, "Nothing looks or feels familiar. I look like a feline sex toy."
He's grabbed from behind again, but since both Mave and Tulani are flanking him it could have been either one. "Yeah, that works," the Sphynx says with a nod. "Exactly the sort a pirate queen.. er, captain.. would have."
"There is one more thing," Mave notes, and attaches a Flower-sign pin to the front of the collar. "That shows you are Yodhinala trained."
And poor Pierce's head tilts and he winces slightly. "Okay, I'm responding now. Wow, that chain works," he signs to the pair. "I feel very decorated."
"You are very pretty," Mave says, and fluffs up Pierce's chest-ruff a bit. "Remember, slaves do not sign openly in public, unless directly asked to."
"I know. I'm going to be at Tulani's mercy in public. I will not be able to refuse anything she orders," Pierce signs, then eyes Tulani. "You won't take advantage of that, correct?"
"If the roles were reversed, would you?" Tulani asks, still with that feline grin.
"Yes. And I know how," Pierce admits in sign.
"Well, there's your answer then!" Tulani smiles gleefully. "I should make you give me a bath, but then I'd have to get undressed again. And we aren't going make good time if we have to get down the mountain first. Is there a secret way?" she asks, turning to Mave.
"There are ways to leave the Temple unseen," Mave confirms.
Pierce is thankful the conversation has changed as it gives times for certain areas to calm and the discomfort to ease. "Before we go, what rules do you have for your slave so that I act as you expect?" he signs. "Also, we should establish some signals for certain situations, like danger, walk, follow X," he adds, "For danger I could ring the bell quickly a few times, for example."
"Well, I could tug on your leash.. hmmm," Tulani says, and looks thoughtful. "What are some useful things for me to have you do without my having to ask.. ah! Flirt, menace, cause a distraction, be affectionate.. what else?"
"/Remind you of an 'appointment' if you need a convenient reason to withdraw from a conversation,/" Pierce signs and also adds, "/Pickpocket. Investigate. Cower."
"Submit," Pierce adds and smirks.
"That's right, you have tricky hands.." Tulani recalls. "Can you do any magic tricks?"
"YEs, several slight of hand style tricks and card games to, ah, relieve people of excess money," Pierce signs and grins.
"How about the one where you make a Shekel vanish and then pluck it out from some unsuspecting body part?" Tulani asks.
"That's easy. Well, except for when Hexen and I tried to use it to get dates," Pierce admits. "They never let us pluck it from ... you get the idea."
"Okay, that's a good distraction tactic though," Tulani notes. "I'm sure they'll let you do that here. That can be.. three flicks of my left ear. Three flicks of my right ear means to flirt with the target instead."
"Oh, and if I hold my hand palm out towards you, you should nuzzle it affectionately," the Sphynx decides.
"Understood," Pierce signs, then pauses. "And ah, a sign to demonstrate devotion to you?"
"Hmm, tilting my chin up, and swishing my tail quickly from righ to left, like this," Tulani replies, and demonstrates.
"An appropriate response would be this?" Piere asks, then slinks over to stand just behind Tulani on her left. There he leans over and nuzzles her shoulder and neck affectionately.
"Ooo, yeah, that's good!" Tulani says. "Now, what sort of signs do you want to give for things?"
"Danger or concern would be a rapid bell chime. It will distract Eeee and be quickly noticeable," Pierce suggests. "A purr from me indicates to continue a line of inquiry or that I agree with what you want me to do with someone; a general 'I approve'. If we're seated, I'll sit at your feet instead of a chair. That way I can nuzzle your leg and the direction I nuzzle means to look that way. If I nod towards someone slightly, then flick my ears ... lets check them out."
"Okay, that will let me focus on conversation while you check out the area," Tulani agrees. "What if you bite me though?"
"Time to go quickly. You have a convenient excuse that I need to be taken for discipline with something like that," Pierce signs and chuffles. "Unless it is the back of your neck. That means I want you." His ears wiggle with mirth.
"You'd have chewed through it by now then," Tulani claims with a smirk.
"How aggressive or 'mean' do you intend to be?" Pierce signs the question. "So I know how timid I should behave."
"Hmm, you shouldn't be too timid," Tulani notes. "At least, not shy. Have pride in your ability. I'll be fairly bold I think, not above using intimidation. Captains don't second-guess themselves, and have to be confident in all they do after all."
"Okay, not shy, just submissive to your commands," Pierce signs and nods. "I can do that. I'll also stay close. Of course with the leash unless you unfasten it, I don't have the choice."
"I don't want anyone stealing you away after all," Tulani claims, hands on her hips.
"No, you just want to use me to get some shekels," Pierce signs and smirks.
"Well, that wouldn't hurt," Tulani notes. "If it'll get us 'in' with the right people."
"True. I suppose it's a good thing I'm a lot more ... flexible with my bed partners now," Pierce signs, ears wiggling.
"Wait until you have the urge to clean yourself with your tongue," Tulani says. "Khatta outgrow that in kittenhood, but you ever had one."
"You would probably enjoy watching that too," Pierce accuses silently. "I promise that once we walk out of this temple, I will obey you completely. I know you'll take advantage of that ... just please remember I'm your friend..." A smile and a shrug follows. "We should get going before I start lusting after you again. The chain really hurts if I get excited."
"Okay, lead the way Mave," Tulani says. "Before I'm tempted to change Pierce's lock.."
"At this point, you have the right to," Pierce signs, shrugs, and is secretly glad that she really doesn't have the time to! The city should really prove interesting to see through the eyes of a slave, that's for sure.