04/18/2024 10:20 PM  Copy Cat I really want to finish this as a SL.       "How the f.uck does she wear this?" Nox studies herself in her bathroom mirror. Noxy dipped into a sumo squat, hoping to adjust the uncomfortably tight lycra bodysuit. She did another two squats, complete with lifting each leg in her best effort to find a more comfortable position of the bodysuit. Grabbing the seat of her pants, she pulled. It was probably futile, Nox expected she'd have the mother of all wedgies by the time this night was over. Standing upright, she twisted left and right. This was for two reasons: More fabric adjustment and just to see if her breast fell out (Thank you, spirit gum!). Does it count as a neckline if you could almost see your naval? Content that the constricting outfit was positioned as comfortably as it was going to get, the white-haired wolf placed the stylized domino mask on her face (Thank you, spirit gum!) before slipping on the fancy footwear and claw-tipped gloves, completing the ensemble. Behold! A wolf in cat's clothing! Giving herself a scrutinizing once over in the mirror, Adelphe decided she could certainly pass for the infamous cat burglar, maybe even better. (Yes, she said it! Fight me!) Nox applied the vibrant red lipstick, blew a kiss, and left the bathroom of her small apartment. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak. Nox was going to end up starting a fire before she could get anything done. Sunset was coming, it was time for the She-Wolf to play. Nox would be lying if she said she wasn't just a little bit excited about this little caper. Playing dress-up, a daring heist, what was not exciting about that? 7:45PM. By now, the sun had already slipped below the horizon, but its fading light turned the sky a spectacular array of colors. Nox leaped from rooftop to rooftop to reach her target. Even in her human form, the She-Wolf was faster and stronger than the average human. But, in a world full of above average, she was still probably street level, maybe a smidge above. Still, it was incredibly exhilarating to push her body so openly. Who knows, maybe there's something to this costumed crusader stuff. Maybe she should adopt a persona all her own. You know, instead of trying to frame someone and stuff. Coiling muscles, unleashing their strength, propelling herself through the air. Nox flipped over city streets with effortless aerobatics. Hitting the rooftop, she would run full speed, only to dive off the other end of the expanse. Why had she not done this before? It was exhilarating! So much of being a werewolf was fearing exposure and possibly exposing others. Why not pretend to be some sort of superhuman? A mutant? Something other than the monsters of old movies. With great disappointment, Nox found herself at her destination so quickly. The museum was closed to the public. The main lights were off, security lights on. Maintenance staff and security were the only occupants. For now, that is. There was a special delivery coming tonight. Something exquisite. Something the required armed guards. Something a buyer was willing to pay big bucks for. Perching on the roof of an adjacent building, the She-Wolf watched the museum from the shadows. Dressing like someone a little more…infamous…also made her a bit of a target. Holy balls, did this outfit ride up. All she had to do at the moment was wait, so there was time to notice the uncomfortably clingy outfit once more. Movement in front of the museum caught her attention. Finally. A caravan of armored vehicles rolled past before looping back to park behind the stately building. Smiling a far more vulpine than feline smile, Nox backed up a few paces before launching herself across the expanse between her building and her intended target. This was, let's be honest, a feat no human--even the 'Olympic-level' costumed sorts--could achieve. Admittedly, the skintight outfit did cut down on air resistance, even with the dorky fur features. Landing and rolling, the She-Wolf crept to the back of the building. Peering over the edge, the cat-eye goggles cast a wicked shadow on her alabaster face. But it was the smile that did little to dispel the sinister visual. Bellow, the scene was set like any heist-themed movie. Armed guards came and went, their primary objective to protect that which waited within an armored vehicle. The van backed into the museum's loading dock. Wait for it. Guards flanked the van. Wait for it. The van stopped. A guard banged on the back door and the doors swung open. Three more guards stirred within the van. Nox waited tensely. She suddenly realized she had been holding her breath. Anticipation hammered within her chest. The timing was everything. One man carried a large bulletproof suitcase. He passed it carefully down to the waiting hands of another guard. And that's when she sprang into action. 0 Comments

04/11/2024 10:06 PM  999 Happy Haunts Dusk. The sun had already slipped below the horizon, but still, the rosy glow of its fading light lingered. Leaves crunched underfoot, each step taking her deeper into the darkness of the forest. Nox shrugged off her clothes until she was dressed only in shadows of the waning daylight, each discarded garment forming a trail in her wake. Normally, Adelphe made an effort to conceal her presence--not to mention spare herself the clean-up in the morning--but tonight was different. Tonight, the moon was closer to the earth than usual and its pull on Noxy's lupine nature was especially potent. Her pulse quickened with anticipation. The moon's magic sang through her veins, provoking the primal forces that lurked in the depth of her psyche to awaken. This didn't feel real. Each movement was clumsy; growing less and less aware of her surroundings. Branches clawed against her as Nox moved through the forest in a dreamlike haze, they left their make in bloody red trails that quickly closed back up. There was an awareness of other creatures, but none of which the white-haired werewolf cared to take note. And even if they were note worthy, would she have cared? No, her focus was on something she couldn't really see, but it pulled at her nonetheless. And she, the white wolf had no choice by to obey. Step by step, the change came in phases. Bones snapped, twisting into new shapes under her flesh with a jarring grinding sound. Nox's posture contorted, no longer able to support her upright posture. Blanketed in snow-white fur, the lupine lady continued on all fours. She slid effortlessly into the darkness. These were her stomping grounds, she was familiar with them. Even lost in her moon-daze, Nox knew the way: through the thicket, into a beautiful field perfect for chasing rabbits. She was going to revel in the full moon's silvery light. Cast off those mortal worries; bills and rent and men who played silly games. No, tonight was between her and the moon. Stepping into the open space, Adelphe realized she was not alone this time. Other shadows separated from the forest. Other werewolves from who knows where, Nox had never seen others here before. She had scouted out this place for many moons to make sure she never encroached on another pack's territory. These were strangers who did not carry the scent of this land on their fur. However, the others barely acknowledge Nox, as she did them. Rather, they all were captivated by the same silent spell that beckoned them. As the white face of the full moon breached the horizon, more shapes melted from the forest line. These new arrivals, however, were not wolves. Ghostly figures slowly took shape, wandering into the open field. Nox recognized some creatures, then there were creatures she could only guess to their true nature. Reanimated skeletons tread through the grasses, ghouls floated above the field. There were creatures she could only describe as goblins and maybe fairies… Even human-like being walked among the moonlight parade. (Nox really was inexperienced with the supernatural realm. It was pretty embarrassing.) All manners of beings, dark and light, their purpose seemingly the same as her. This was not the full moon's crafty magic. This was something expanding across the supernatural spectrum. Something of which she was completely ignorant. Marie! Nox spotted her roommate among the crowd. Trotting up alongside the succubus, Nox garbled a gruff 'bark' (wolves do not actually bark!) to get her attention. Marie, who was normally a vapid airhead and a narcissist, seemed oddly…not. She was invested in this event, in the same dream-like trance. "Hey, Noxy." She barely acknowledged the white werewolf. "Isn't this amazing? The veil is so thin!" Nox gave a low grunt, signaling her confusion. "Don't you know why humans celebrate Halloween?" Marie crinkled her nose, her voice dripping with disgust. Nox let out a low snarl, bristling at the condescension in her voice. "The wall between the world of the living and the dead grow thin," Marie rolled her eyes. "Those with the knowhow can travel between the realms. This is a thin spot, everyone's coming here to mingle. More and more of these thin spots will start popping up now that it's Fall." Nox canted her head, looking out over the assembly. That explained the ghosts. "Oh look, there's Ms. Estelle! Hello Ms. Estelle!" Marie waved as her voice raised in volume. Nox followed the direction of Marie's waving. Sure enough, there was Ms. Estelle from down the hall. What was she doing there? Marie laughed as Nox's obvious confusion. "Ms. Estelle isn't alive. You didn't know that?" There were probably whole libraries of things Adelphe didn't know. However, seeing ghosts was something she had never considered even a footnote! Seems like something someone should have mentioned to her ages ago. Marie continued her peel of laughter. The fact that her airheaded roommate knew so much more than her and was reveling in it really, really irked Nox. At the center of the field, the crowds began to gather. An eerie mist had fallen over the area, adding to the ominous nature of this gathering. Beings of all manner of supernatural origins began to mix together, exchanging pleasantries like old friends. "Speak up, Noxy!" Marie suddenly barked, "No one likes a mute." Nox furrowed her brow. Didn't this ditz know she couldn't speak? "What are you talking about, Marie?" Nox growled crossly. She was getting really irritated not knowing about how any of this was happening. Lightbulb. "Holy f***! I can talk!" Nox was too surprised to be rankled by Marie's continued laughter at her expense. "How cute. You gotta love a newbie." Marie bumped her elbow against another human-like being who looked between the two of them with momentary confusion. Then the pair of them laughed. Snorting, Nox trotted off to see Ms. Estelle. People always ignored her in the hallways, Nox had felt bad for her. Even her own son never acknowledged her presence. This explained it all. "Hello Ms. Estelle." Nox looked up at the little old lady. "Ah, Adelphe." Ms. Estelle peered down at her from behind wire-rimmed glasses. "So nice to see you like this. What a lovely coat you have." This was so freaky. Not only finding out the little old lady down the hall was the little old dead lady down the hall and that she recognized Nox for the werewolf that she was! Wild! "Thank you, Ms. Estelle." Nox replied sheepishly, still reeling from all these new revelations. At some point, music was added to the gathering. A large erh…ghostly bonfire was assembled, too. Socializing gave way to dancing. This felt like some Halloween Renaissance Festival or convention with all manner of time periods represented. The music was instrumental; flutes and tambourines kind of deal. Nox sat on the periphery, still processing all this new information. Was this what held her so spellbound all evening? Not the moon? 0 Comments

04/05/2024 02:29 PM  Down In New Orleans What if…? Now there was a question that could drive you crazy. What if things were different? What if things had happened differently? What if you went left and not right? What if you said no instead of yes? It didn’t make sense to wonder such things. And, yet, from time to time, the question stirred in the recesses of her mind. What if? She blamed this nagging question on the humans’ influence on her. She had never questions such things when she was younger, when she had no concept of regret, particularly regret for one’s choice in life decisions. But there it was, lurking like a predator in the shadows of her mind, waiting to pounce on her in a moment of weakness. For someone who was raised to be the hunter, being the prey was disconcerting, which only made that nagging question stronger and more determined than ever to sink its fangs into her mind. And so she ran. She ran from the confusion, from the doubts, from the questions, and from the pain. New Orleans. The city was vibrant and foreign to her. The combination of French and Spanish influence was impossible to overlook. It was a city that, in some ways, felt frozen in time with hundreds of year old architecture and multiple cultures leaving their fingerprints across the years. But there were also plenty of modernism; shining skyscrapers, abstract art sculptures, and so on. Cobblestone gleamed from the dampness of an early spring shower. The smell of horses and the river breeze stood prominently out against the stink of human lifestyle and pollution from passing cars. Standing in front of a parking garage decorated with massive mural depicting a pod of whales--the Aquarium of the Americas was just a stone's through away--Nox checked one more time that her parking ticket was in her trifold wallet. While she didn't worry about the sky high crime rate of the city, she was a little more worried about her rental car. Slinging her crossbody purse over her shoulder, the She-Wolf walked away from the family of whales and headed into the heart of the city. Tonight, her ultimate destination was Tchoupitoulas Street for the Krewe of Orpheus parade. She needed this, she needed a break. More importantly, it was the promise of a fresh start, away from those place and people she knew. Living out of a duffle bag, Nox arrived in time for Mardi Gras (because there's naturally no better time to visit NOLA). Her day had been spent at the French Quarter; beignets at Café du Munde was mandatory, shopping at the French Market, a walk around Jackson Square, and dinner a Muriel's (expensive as all Hell, but so so so worth it). Dusk was rapidly approaching when she finished eating. Stepping out into the French Quarter, the city came to life in quite a different way. Crowds had accumulated as the revelry picked up in earnest. Yoked in beads, dressed in brightly colored costumes, spectators were just as much a part of the show as the parades themselves. Especially the heavily inebriated ones. She moved through the crowds of people, sometimes finding getting a pair of shiny plastic beads dropped over her head by random revelers, to find a good spot for viewing the parade. Music of a marching band played the obligator 'Mardi Gras Mambo', their drum beats and brass instruments filled the air, so thick it was virtually tangible. The flashing lights of police units announced the beginning of Orpheus, followed by the first set of flambeaux torch bearers. Beyond them, the vibrant floats with the royal court dressed in flamboyant feathery and rhinestone-adorned outfits. The scent of sweat, perfume, sex, alcohol, and food reached her delicate olfactory senses. They danced and sway, mixed and mingled, sweaty bodies brushing past one another. Carnival has become little more than code for debauchery before the Lent season, where good little Christians could act all pious after their massive orgy in the streets the night before. Nox wove her way through the crowds as they moved and swayed to the universe rhythm of the music. The pounding drums resonated through her bones as the relentless melody filled her ears. At first, Nox resisted the music’s call. She appreciated music, but dancing seemed so odd to her, it seemed little more than a courtship, or mating without the actual act. ‘But why not join them?’ A voice argued in the back of her mind. ‘You may not be one of them, but at least enjoy what they are enjoying. Try it, see if you like it.’ Moving to the edge of the crowd, Nox peeled off the denim jacket she had worn over a tank top, tying it around her waist. Shaking out her white locks, Nox slowly began pressing her way back into the crowds. Following the flow if the music, she closed her eyes and allowed it to sweep her up in the beats. Swaying awkwardly at first, Nox began to mimic the movements of those around her. People bumped up against her, their skin sliding against her skin, their sweat intermingling. Closeness did not bother Nox, but these sensations were unique. And, most of all, she was beginning to enjoy it. 0 Comments

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