A new age Weapon. Underground World.

[Half Man-half otaku2]

Doll's news interested Tobias. He turned toward her, looking down at her small body. "You say State Alchemist? Hm. Last time one of them came around here, we were barely teenagers, right Arc?" he said. It was some guy who didn't really care much for the place. But since Arc was the place's pride and joy, they were allowed to keep their funding and continue their experiments.

There was question of whether it'd be a man or a woman, assuming either one would be attractive. Not like Tobias gave a damn. Arc always blushed like hell when it came to that stuff, but not Toby. The other successful female experiments who were sitting pretty on the upper levels always bugged Tobias as if he really wanted to give them the time of day. Some of those scientists even tried making their move. He answered, "What makes you think I'd give a damn? I don't pay attention to that s**t! Not like anyone would be chasing after Arc anyway..." he grumbled sitting on the ground.  

[Queen Chiig]

Doll glanced over at Toby, who seemed non-interested, yet extremely bothered by this information. “I don’t really remember the last time there was a State Alchemist in the Underground,” she said truthfully. She was actually a little worried about someone coming here. She heard some of the Scientists talking about the Statesmen taking an experiment away this time. Something about a war among countrymen going on in the outside world…they would for sure take one of the successes. She hoped it wasn’t one of the three of them…

Arc looked over at Toby, she had heard his grumble to himself, but she had misunderstood it. “Chase me? Whose playing tag?” she said, slightly confused. Because Arc was shielded from most things, trying to keep her prefect child image as true as possible, she often misunderstood things. Her mind was only full of pure and innocent things. That of course, isn’t saying that she is a child at mind. Oh no…but her mind was her own…  

[Half Man-half otaku2]

Tobias looked up at Doll and shrugged. "You were definitely around. That's for sure. You just hadn't been made public yet. See, if you didn't already know, when your first born, to when they murder you, up until they see you as a complete success, you aren't made public to the rest of the experiments. You were probably still in the testing stages," Tobias explained. Tobias, despite the way he seemed, was very observant of his surroundings.

Arc was a very sheltered girl on the other hand. She really didn't know much besides eating, sleeping, playing, and family. Oblivious to grown up things like Tobias. He had had plenty of experience, but no interest in those things really. "You're so stupid, Arc! I always have to be so direct with you! I'm saying boys aren't constantly crushing on you like all those dumb girls do to me!" he told her.  

[Queen Chiig]

At first Arc was angry that Toby called her stupid, but it did a turnaround into extreme embarrassment. She had secretly always wanted someone to have a crush on her, being a closet romantic herself. But that just would never happen. In the Underground, you were based off of your fighting skill. The better you were, the more attractive you were because it insures strong offspring. Looks didn’t help either. Arc had no idea what she looked like, and she couldn’t fight; orders from the top. They didn’t want their spokesmen for the project showing up to meetings with cuts and bruises.

Even so, Arc felt that way. “S-Shut up Toby! It’s not my fault I’m ignorant, they keep me in a box and hide me away!” she said, angrily. It was rare to see Arc angry, especially at Toby. She lifted her wings up high and beat them only once. This sent her flying into the air and up to the highest tree in the courtyard. There, she was far from reach where she could just sit as far away from Toby as she could.

Doll raised an eyebrow. She knew a little about what happens to their kind in this place. But she had no idea they did that much. “Hmm…that’s rather cruel,” she said as plainly she would the weather. “Guess we all won then on a count of us still being here!” she said with a grin and a giggle.

When Arc got angry at Toby, Doll looked at him. That was the first time she had ever really been angry with him. Arc was the only one who could handle Toby 24-7. No matter what he did, or said, she would just smile and call him impatient. But this time…ooooh! ~ “You know how she feels about that word…and you went and called her stupid…” she sighed, ready to block any punch Toby may throw at her. “I’d go apologize to her if I were you; you know angry isn’t good for her condition…”

((sorry Otaku-kun for being gone a few days. I had thing that needed taking care of...))  

[Half Man-half otaku2]

Tobias was not fazed by Arc's response. She knew it was the truth. She just hated admitting it. The difference between Tobias and Arc was the type of freedom they had. Tobias could fight as much as he wanted and not get in too much trouble. But Arc couldn't throw so much as a single punch. Her dad was always on her case.

As she settled herself up in the big tree, Tobias grunted and turned away from her. "Running away sure helps solve your problems, doesn't it Arc?" Doll then commented on his words to her and then she suggested he apologize. Tobias did NOT apologize. He never had to. Especially to Arc. "That's not what I do. She'll be fine. It's Arc we're talking about," he added.  

[Queen Chiig]

Doll just rolled her eyes. Both of them were being extremely stubborn about this. Arc never wanted to admit her ignorance, which was understandable. And Toby was just a stubborn idiot most of the time. “Whatever Toby. I’ve got an appointment with the Doc today. Have fun not playing together,” she said, fazing into the shadows again, leaving the two alone.

Arc refused to look Toby’s way, but she politely and with the most delicate of dignity, flipped him the bird from a top her tree. She crossed her arms and stared at the shadows around her. She didn’t understand why he was so blunt about everything. Even after knowing him for years, she still got irritated with his attitude. She just didn’t show it half the time. But she HATED when people called her stupid. She was just….just…well, she wasn’t stupid that’s for sure! “You’re an idiot Toby, I hate you!” she shouted, covering herself with her wings. All that could be seen was a large ball of feathers on top of a tree.

((I’m gonna bring in a few new characters soon, and try and get some of the members to join this roleplay, or it will quickly end…))  

[Half Man-half otaku2]

Tobias could care less what she did. She was just hiding from the truth. One thing that was true was that Tobias was not going to apologize. It was something he simply would not do. Arc had wrapped herself up in her wings, called him an idiot, then told him she hated him. Insults he'd heard before from other people. Whatever. She'd get over it. He knew how to win this though. He began to walk back towards the door and said, "Whatever! I'm going back inside! Your dad won't happy if he finds you out here!"  

[Queen Chiig]

Moving through walls was a strange feeling, but a feeling Doll was well used to by now. But to anyone else, it would feel more like someone was tickling your innards with a feather. But she loved the feeling; it was somewhat of a comfort for her these days.

She fazed out of the wall, reappearing in the Doctor’s office. Arc’s father sat at his desk, looking over some notes. He’s shoulders towered over his work, an impressive and intimidating sight to see. He turned slightly, seeing that Doll had arrived on time for her appointment, as usual. “Good morning Doctor,” she said. Doll never felt at ease in his office, even if he thought of her as a necessity to his work. She still felt slightly threatened when it came to being alone with him.

Arc’s father stood from his desk, all light from his lamp faded from sight as his tall stature loomed over it. “Good afternoon is more like it. You know the drill, clothes off, put on the robes and sit down,” he was a man of very few words.

Arc twitched, it was true he would be very upset with her if he found out. But Arc didn’t want Toby to win! Not this time. “I don’t care! Let him get mad!” she grumbled, but peeked between feathers to see Toby leaving. She lifted up her wing fully to watch him. She whimpered as he made his way back to the door. “W-Wait!” she stumbled, flapping her wings to lift her off the tree and into the air. She flew to him and in front of him, “U-Uh-“she had let him win, again. She cursed herself silently for her weakness. “_Uh, how about we sneak back to my room? You know how the Scientists are; they always leave me treats and toys…to much for me. Maybe would could…hang out there…” she said shyly. Toby knew how to work her well. He was the only one of course. When the Scientists tried to get Arc to do experiments she didn’t want to do, she would refuse no matter what. Toby was the only one who knew just what to say to get her to bend to his will. Arc was well aware of this fact, but it didn’t bother her.  

[Half Man-half otaku2]

The girl tired to put up a good fight, but she was no match for the brick wall of emotion that was Tobias. He could feel her eyes watching him as he headed towards the door. He could almost time when she was going to break. She didn't really notice, but as she flew towards him he stopped, waiting for her. Arc offered him treats. Most likely candy or something baked. Tobias shrugged and scratched his bare chest. He shrugged, "Eh, sure. Why not?" He poked her stomach and smirked, "Can't have our prized possession getting too fat! Don't want to have to roll you in when the State Alchemist comes!" he said running back into the building.  

[Queen Chiig]

Arc giggled as Toby poked her stomach; she was a very ticklish girl. She ran after him as he headed for her room. “I won’t get fat! Not with you around keeping me busy,” she smiled, her bare feet moving quickly to keep up. “And when I get there, I can change into something other than this stupid surgical smock. My stupid dad is always putting this on me, saying it’ll keep me more prepared in case he needs to do some quick analyzing. You know how he is,” she rolled her eyes, catching up with Toby and grabbing hold of her friends hand as they ran to her room.

Doll had finished changing into her smock and walked out from behind the curtain. Arc’s father was waiting for her, sitting on his usual chair. “You know Dr. Thaddeus, every time I come in here, you never say much to me, why is that?” Doll asked out of simple curiosity.

Thaddeus simply looked blankly at the girl. “It’s simple, it isn’t my job to comfort you, or talk to you, other than to examine you every week to insure that your body is holding together successfully,” this wasn’t the entire truth, obviously. Dr. Thaddeus was never very good at talking to children, so he always kept it strictly professional with all of them. Even his own daughter, even if she wasn’t a child anymore. She just looked so much like his wife…he couldn’t bear to look at her sometimes.

“I see, well, the usual stuff right Doc? I kinda want to go hang out with Arc and Toby for the day, before lunch is served,” she said, seeing the Doctors irritation at the mere mention of his name. The Doctor didn’t like Toby much, he was uncontrollable. And he hated that.

Arc opened the door to her room, which was slightly bigger than Toby’s. Only because she was forced to have guests from higher up every once in a while. She actually preferred a smaller space, but her father refused to down size her room for her. “Well, make yourself at home Toby. I gotta get out of this stupid thing, it’s always so itchy!” she said, grabbing a random dress from her closet and running over to her dressing blind. She slipped off her smock and hung it over the blind, “The treats are over on the table by the bed. Those stupid Scientists are always bringing me stuff, like it’s gonna make me like them more,” she said, slipping on her dress. She walked out from behind the blind, looking at Toby with a bit of embarrassment. She was holding the dress up slightly,” Toby, could you zip me up? I can never reach the zipper because of my wings,” she said, her pure blue eyes staring at his shadow.  

[Half Man-half otaku2]

"Yeah? I wouldn't know. he only deals with me if he has to," Tobias said matter-of-factly. It was the truth. That man didn't even like dealing with Tobias, even when he was having a good day. Anyone who wanted to do Tobias' check-up or was up for it would take him just to get it out of the way.

Once they made it back to Arc's room, she went to change. He eyed the stuff he wanted on the table and he began to devour whatever he wanted as she changed. Suddenly, she came out from behind the blind holding up the dress because she couldn't zip it. Tobias sighed and stopping eating, walking over to her. "I suppose I have to. If not, then I'd have to look at you naked, and who wants that?" grumbled Tobias.  

[Queen Chiig]

Arc stuck her tongue out at Toby, “Don’t be a Meany, you know you’ve thought of it,” she teased as he zipped her up. “Ahhh, that’ much better,” she stretched her arms out. Arc spun on her toes, letting the simple white dress twirl with her. She walked over to her bed and jumped, bouncing on it. She had such a high ceiling that even she was able to jump, and even fly, if she wanted. She jumped once more, and landed on her knees with a ‘poof’ of the pillows. She was a little restless. The day before she had had no time for Toby because her father had kept her in the lab all day. He was testing many things, her flexibility, her speed, endurance, and much more. She would get so bored with him, and she had a need to hang out with Toby all day.

She ran over to the table where Toby had started to eat his way through some of the candy boxes, “Oh! I didn’t know I had cream puffs!” she grinned, popping one into her mouth. She was able to see this because she was so used to her surroundings. Because Arc had lived here her whole life, she didn’t have to worry about bumping into things because of her handicap. She knew where everything was here, so it was as if she wasn’t even blind. But still, it was a prison meant to keep them all in.

Doll lie on the examination table as Dr. Thaddeus began to poke and prone her with the usual things.

“Hmm…your arms don’t seem to be getting any better, but they haven’t taken over anything anymore. That’s good. This means your human side will stay under control…interesting…” he mused, writing his findings down in his note book.

Doll just lied there, staring at nothing, “You ever think Toby will like me?” she asked out of the blue.

Thaddeus looked up and over his glasses,” Well, that boy is a trouble maker that’s for sure. But he has shown great interest in Arc, so he must have a heart somewhere…” he mumbled, checking Doll’s eyes next. “I wouldn’t say he dislikes you, just…you are not Arc. He seems close to her, God only knows why she tolerates him at all. If he wasn’t a success, I would have enjoyed throwing him out,” he grumbled to himself.

“So you do throw us out of we are failures,” Doll said broadly.”

“Of course we do, you think we’d keep out failures for everyone to see?” he said, a little upset by her comment.

“Yet you keep some of us locked up down in the lower levels…”

Thaddeus paused for a moment, writing something down,” Those aren’t failures. Those are backups. You could say, reinforcements, or, the front line if you will.”

Arc zoomed over to her toy box, which wasn’t just filled with toys. But she could find nothing that would be fun, she never could. The Scientists kept her in this room like she was a little girl. Giving her toys, dolls, stuffed animals…she wasn’t a child anymore. But they wouldn’t get her the things she wanted, and she had read all of her books over and over. She needed something new to do! “One day, I’ll break out of this place and see the world…I could just fly out of her and be free. I want to see this world…I’m tired of these chains,” she admitted with a sigh. She usually wasn’t one to be the downer. But she was honestly tired of being treated like, well, a doll on display. It was like they thought she didn’t age, or mature. Arc grabbed a wooden doll from out of the chest and took it over to her large bed, which she then threw herself on back first. She stared at the doll in her hands for a long while. It was ageless too. It always had the same smile on its face, its clothes never changed. Its life was a happy illusion like her own. Arc frowned, ripping its arms off and throwing it to the floor like a child having a hissy fit. “Tobias, we gotta find a way out of here. Just you and me,” she said, she usually didn’t say his full name, so she was serious. “I want to see the world, me and you. We’ll escape this place one day and see what this world has to offer. I’m bored of this place, I want to have fun…anything that will change this stupid shelf life I’ve got,” she said, covering her eyes with one of her arms.
 

[Half Man-half otaku2]

After zipping her up, Tobias immediately went back to eating. The stuff they fed him was only enough to keep him from starving. Most of the muscle he had he couldn't lose. Snakes had incredible muscle structure and that was something he just couldn't lose no matter what. Not naturally at least. Tobias got a lot of food from Arc, who didn't eat as much. Right now, he was gorging himself.

"Break outta here, huh? Sounds big..." Tobias answered. He was done eating for now. He sat on the floor, watching her go to her toybox and look at one of her dolls. Suddenly, she destroyed it, ripping the arms off and casting it aside. Tobias said nothing. He was a bit surprised though. As a child, she loved that toy dearly. But to see her do that caught his attention slightly.

"Tobias..." she said. Rarely did that girl ever call him by his whole name. He snapped his head up, looking at her, then eventually standing as she spoke of leaving again. But hearing his entire name had lit a fire within him. Tobias walked over to Arc and pulled her arm away from her face, holding her wrist as he looked her in the eye. "When? Just tell me when and we will get...the hell...out of here!" he hissed.  

[Queen Chiig]

Arc felt a surprising tug on her arm, and with her mind’s eye she saw that Toby had pulled her arm away from her face and was looking at her directly. Her face grew slightly hot; she wasn’t used to being so close to someone, not just Toby. At hearing Toby’s question, Arc smiled. She had been thinking about running away for a good long time. “Tomorrow...Before the State Alchemist comes to see the progress!” she lend forward, getting up to a sitting position. She stared at Toby with her blind eyes, smiling, “We can shut off the power that controls the electrical current that runs through the glass that keeps the courtyard enclosed!” she really had been thinking about this. “I can carry you up with me, and we can smash through the glass to freedom! I don’t care where we go! Just away from this place and away from all the experiments!” she said, getting her arm free from Toby’s grip and hugging him. “Let’s do it! And maybe we can release some of the experiments on the way! We all need to be free!” she said again.

Doll began to re-dress herself, her check up was over with and she was leaving the Doctor alone to his work. She sighed, she needed to sleep, and she had been out for too long. It was to light today…
 

[Half Man-half otaku2]

Tobias smiled, his eyes slit like a snakes. Electricity was his thing. Arc had probably been planning this for some time now. At least long enough to work Tobias into her plan. Even if it was only for companionship. But hearing that plan, she was going to need him. She hugged him, knowing that he couldn't deny her with a deal like that. "Ok, you'll have to wake me though. Knowing me, the State Alchemist will be in my room by the time I wake up!" he laughed. He had to start packing as soon as he could. It wouldn't be much. He didn't have much. His room was just a bed, a bathroom, and a closet. So all Tobias had was clothes to pack, and not even all of them.