Animula
Title: Animula
Rating: R (violence, abuse, no sex)
Category: angst, hurt/comfort,
Setting: Alternate Universe, 'reverse' slave.
Description: Neal enters a world of high stakes gambling and ends up with far more than he bargained for when he wins ownership of an Animula named Peter. Suddenly after a life time of avoiding responsibility Neal finds a man's life and future in his hands...
NOTE: Thanks go out to Wondo (aka love_pb on Live journal) for challenging me to a reverse slave fic...I didn't even know the genera existed before her. ;)
The following is kind of important to understanding the plot since the AU needs setting up:
Okay, so here is some 'sort of science' to explain how the 'sub-human' species of Animula exist in this world. I was challenged to write a 'reverse slave fic' and I wanted this AU to have a reason for one group to be owning another and give the society as a whole a reason for acting as they do towards them. This is just a basic run down, more will be learned as the story progresses.
Animula are caused by a double recessive sex linked genetic disorder linked to both X and Y, needing a copy of each to show the 'syndrome' (being 'Y' chromosome linked means it only occurs in men). This is an extraordinarily rare occurrence, if both parents were heterozygous for the Animula traits each male child would have a 1 in 32 chance of being born with the trait.
It's mostly found in those of Anglo decent although it can be found in any race/culture. Over the centuries Animula have been revered as gods, reviled as warlocks, and eventually accepted to be a soulless sub-human anomaly that has become a slave race for the elite. Despite advances in genetic research no one has looked too carefully at Animula since the rich and the powerful are not interested in giving up their slaves and the general population doesn't often have much interaction with them (out of sight out of mind). Tests are done during pregnancy to identify any Animula who are bought by the Market before they are born and raised there, later to be actioned to the highest bidder. Parents for the most part are not interested in keeping their souless children, nor can they afford to since taxes on ownership are extraordinarily high.
Genetically speaking it causes issues of the pineal gland (often referred to as 'the seat of the soul'), as children Animula do not engage or interact with their surrounds the same way normal children to, they do not cry, they do not form attachments. What they do develop is very strong left brain tenancies making them experts at numbers, patterns, and analytical thinking. At puberty hormonal changes allow them to develop normal human emotions and traits, but by that time they've already been labeled 'soulless' and it generally thought that their new found 'emotions' are a learned behaviour. Owning Animula is only for the exceedingly rich, and often times they are owned by companies instead of individuals, placed in positions where their talent for numbers can be used for financial gain. Most are treated relatively well, but the more owners they go through, particularly the more cooperate owners, the greater the chances of being generally mistreated.
The one trait that instantly separates Animula visually from humans is the development of a metallic golden rings around the outside of the iris that spreads inward as they age.
Neal in this AU is fairly ignorant about Animula and he will learn more as the reader does, as well as come to realize that 'souless' is a completely inaccurate description.
Animula
Chapter One
Drink in hand Neal looked out the floor to ceiling windows of an immense penthouse flat. The lights of the New York sky line were glittering against the pitch black of a moonless sky with all the beauty of true stars. It was close to one am, but the party was still in full swing and just starting to get interesting. Neal had been working for months on an invite to this particular get together. Far from a raucous crowd, this was a group of high society and even higher stakes gamblers who didn't bother with trifling things as boring as money when they decided to play.
To be invited to these tables you needed to bring something special, rare art, historical jewelry, political favors, and other items not typically for sale. The parities were held every other month so if he lost tonight at least his foot was in the door and it would be easier to get in on the next one. The beginning of the evening had began with elimination style gaming with five people to a table and dealer's choice on the game. The 'dealer' was decided by a simple roll of the dice, highest roll total from a cast of three dice won the position. Since the dealer could choose any standard table game, card or tile, you could find yourself sitting down to Texas Hold'em, Pia Gow, Baccarat, or even Go Fish. A fundamental run down of the rules was given, but beyond that you were on your own.
The winners of each table were then consolidated into a smaller amount of tables until there were only four players left that competed at the final main table with the fifth player being the party's host. Out of the five elimination rounds that Neal had participated in tonight he'd only managed to win 'dealer' once. He'd chosen Three Card Brag since it heavily favored a good bluffer. He'd almost been eliminated at the last table which featured Chinese poker, which he wasn't very familiar with. Once it had been down to him versus the dealer even he was surprised to find himself dealt a 'Dragon' hand. A rare card set of thirteen unique cards Ace through King that automatically won.
The lucky Dragon hand had been a crowd pleaser. Since this was at its heart a social event there were half hour intermissions between each round with a forty-five minute pause before the last game. Neal had mingled during the previous intermissions, but now that he had made it into the final four he needed to truly focus. Taking his drink over to the large windows Neal had excused himself from the group he had been chatting with. As one of the final contestants his desire to be left alone was respected, no one would talk to him unless he spoke first. He sipped carefully at the hard liquor drink, he'd already had a bit too much to drink tonight but it was needed to keep up with appearances. Tonight was about fun and excess, most games ended in a round of toasts and shots, and any time his glass ran dry it was instantly refilled.
With his mind spinning slightly from the top shelf liquor Neal glanced over at the man he'd really come here to play, a business mogul named Fai Cheng. He wasn't openly known as a Triad leader, but Neal had heard rumors. However the rumor that had interested Neal the most was about the rare Matisse painting that was now in Cheng's possession. As the owner of the penthouse and tonight's host Cheng was guaranteed a spot at the final table.
Cheng had been the winner of the last session and so he also won the honor of hosting the next event. Cheng had actually won the Matisse at the last game which was when Neal had switched his focus from the original owner to Cheng. Along with the Matisse Cheng had won a jade and gold dragon from the Tang Dynasty, a non-Imperial Faberge egg, and perhaps oddest of all a night of passion with a young Baroness who had offered herself as her part of the wager. Of his winnings Neal was confident that the Matisse would be Cheng's choice to risk parting with tonight. Neal had plans to steal it from the last owner until he'd discovered a way to just win it.
Neal himself had brought along a very convincing forgery of a Degas that he had completed a few months back. He knew he risked possibly getting killed if the forgery didn't pass when he'd entered it into the games, even if Cheng wasn't Triad he was still powerful and not lightly crossed. However Neal had been confident that the pastel would pass inspection at the door and it had. The next step of winning the elimination rounds had been fairly simple and risk free. Everyone needed a high value object to enter the game, but only the final four actually placed that item in the 'kitty'.
All in all the event wasn't taken very seriously by the elite party members. They lost far more money any time the stock market took a half point dip than losing at the final table. To blend in Neal was currently here under the guise of Nick Halden, who for tonight's purposes was the son of a Texas oil tycoon with more dollars than sense. If he played his cards right, figuratively and literally, he might just be able to gain another invite even if he didn't win tonight. If he did win he'd be expected to host, he wasn't sure how he'd pull that off, but he'd worry about that later.
Neal casually watched Cheng as the famously cutthroat businessman drank heavily and laughed with his guests. Cheng had poured far more money into this evening than he could ever hope to gain back even if he won. Of course hosting itself was a competition among this crowd, and from the looks of things Cheng was winning. Everyone seemed to be having a good time with one very noticeable exception. As a pure expression of his wealth Cheng had an Animula at his beck and call. Usually used for their keen insight into fiscal management this one seemed to be purely for show.
Dressed in a finely cut tux standing behind Cheng the souless creature seemed completely disinterested in the opulent scene that surrounded him. He gave Neal the impression that he was barely holding on to consciousness, if he suddenly collapsed Neal wouldn't be the least bit surprised. Staring blankly at nothing with his dark gold ringed eyes the only time he reacted was when Cheng called him by name to make a request of him. Neal had caught the Animula's name earlier to be 'Peter', which he felt was a little mundane. He had always assumed that Animula would have more exotic sounding names, but he'd never actually known one by name. With the Animula population of New York being just over two thousand individuals according to the Market Neal had only seen a handful of them.
When Cheng barked his name Peter would jolt slightly, snapping out of his trance and bringing his focusing to his Master's needs. He answered all questions with as few words as possible before returning to his own world. He made no attempts to engage with anyone other than Cheng and even then only when addressed first. However from everything Neal had ever heard of Animula that was expected behavior. Born without the ability to form attachments they were intellect driven rather than emotional. Neal was no expert on the subject but everyone knew the basics of the soulless anomaly known as Animula.
Neal couldn't hear what Cheng was talking about from his place by the window but he could tell that Cheng had called on his pet when the Animula suddenly jerked and gave him his attention. He listened to his Master before looking in Neal's direction, revealing the odd gold rings around his irises that instantly identified his as an Animula. Stepping around the other party guests Peter made his way over. He moved very gingerly, carefully moving around the other guests. Neal took a nervous step back and bumped into the glass behind him as Peter approached him. Stopping a few feet in front of Neal he was breathing quickly as though the journey had taken significant effort. Peter cast his gaze down to avoid eye contact. It was the closest Neal had ever been to an Animula and he wasn't quite sure what to expect.
"Uh..." Neal said uncomfortably "hello."
"Master Halden," Peter greeted flatly "Master Cheng wishes to invite you to be dealer."
"Isn't there a roll to win 'dealer'?"
"As tonight's host Master Cheng has the privilege to decide and he has chosen you."
"Okay." Neal nodded.
Peter didn't reply, nor did he leave, even though he looked like the last thing in the world he wanted to do was remain standing here. Neal suddenly realized that the Animula might be waiting for some kind of release command. He hadn't really expected to have to deal with an Animula tonight, they weren't often brought to social functions since they tended to make people feel uncomfortable. Pretending to be part of the 'one percent' Neal suddenly realized that he would be expected to know how to interact with the slavish creature. He'd run cons on cooperation that owned Animula but they'd always been more out of sight out of mind. Cheng was one of the few who openly flaunted his ownership. He'd have to wing something and hope that it worked.
"Tell Mast...tell Mr. Cheng that I'm honored."
"May I tell him your choice of game, Master Halden?" Peter prompted.
"Ah right, well Texas Hold'em has a special place in my heart." Neal replied laying his accent a little thicker.
"I will inform Master Cheng."
"Thank you."
At hearing 'thank you' Peter suddenly brought his golden eyes up to meet Neal's. A brief look of surprise followed by an even briefer look of suspicion played across the Animula's previously stoic face. Peter took a breath to say something, but instantly thought better of it and dropped his gaze once more. After offering Neal a shallow bow with what looked like a wince of pain Peter retreated back to his Master.
Of all the people Neal had spoken to tonight the Animula was the first one who had even started to suspect him of not being who he claimed to be. Just as with the forgery getting caught as a conman by Cheng could easily have life threatening consequences. Neal held his breath as Peter went to stand by Cheng. He expected the Animula to whisper his suspicions to his Master, but he just stood by and zoned out once again.
"I suppose obedience is not the same thing as loyalty..."