A/N: Well I've got news guys the first part of Dual Dimensions has becomes the third most favorited story in the bakugan archive… wait whut? XP technically im tied with Breezy, but I like breezy so I'm happy to consider her second, besides we just need to somehow get… hmm. Like say 17 more faves…
Masquerade: There is a simple solution to that problem you know.
Oh and what's that?
Masquerade: *grins* make 17 fake accounts and favorite your story.
Ewww, that's cheating. Plus if I suddenly get 17 faves in a day then its OBVIOUS I'm cheating.
Masquerade: meh
Plus, where's the fun in that? If the first part of Dual Dimensions becomes the most favorited story in the bakugan archive,
Chapter 7
The woman in the glass glared at Vanessa her teeth barred and lips pulled back in the makings of a snarl. But the expression looked strained, there were creases in her eyebrow, slight bags under her eyes and her red eyes seemed duller than usual.
Vanessa sighed and let her expression relax, the woman in the glass's expression relaxing as well to reflect Vanessa's change, the fierce expression replaced with a weary one, red eyes dulling even further, and lips drawing closed over sharp teeth to form a grim slash on the elite huntresses face.
"This is ridiculous." Vanessa growled at the image the woman in the mirror silently mouthing the same words. Shaking her head Vanessa turned away from the mirror. "I can't allow these visions to break me, I am an elite huntress of Docorrus." She lifted her hand glancing down at it, "My thoughts and feelings need to be tuned to the betterment of Docorrus," She clenched her fist narrowing her eyes. "That's all that must matter, all that can matter."
A knock on her bedroom door drew Vanessa's attention away from her internal struggles. She lifted her head and turned her gaze to the door raising an eyebrow. "Come in," She said unclenching her fist and dropping her hand to her side.
The door opened and Victor poked his head inside glancing around before his eyes settled upon Vanessa, he tensed minutely before he opened the door fully and coughed into his hand.
"Er, a Miss Luna Nightingale and Sunset Rose have arrived to visit. They said they heard about your return and wished to pay you a visit." Victor said clasping his hands behind his back standing up straighter. "Also a message from Queen Gracia has arrived and her royal highness has requested your presence at the castle as soon as possible to give your report on your latest hunt."
Vanessa narrowed her eyes and glanced to the side. "I will entertain Luna and Sunset for a little while, simply to exchange a few pleasantries and such. Then I will visit Queen Gracia, after all I'm sure the two young ladies won't mind waiting here for when I return,"
Victor blinked and he opened his mouth clearly to voice his concerns before he hesitated his mouth closing slowly and he frowned, grimacing. "Er permission to speak…freely milady?" He ventured eyes darting to Vanessa's face to gauge her response to the query.
Vanessa eyed him a moment then shrugged and turned away, "Go ahead, but I'll need to change into something less, threatening. Don't want her highness to feel endangered." She headed towards her wardrobe located in the corner of her room across the dresser all while unzipping the top of her jacket. "So you speak while I slip into something more comfortable." Once the leather jacket was unzipped she tossed it off revealing a simple gray tank top underneath, Victor's eyes gravitating to her well-endowed chest before quickly averting his eyes in fear of angering Vanessa.
"Well, wouldn't-" Vanessa grasped the belt of her pants and began undoing it slowly. "It be smarter to-" Victor quickly moved his gaze to focus on a point in the wall above the mirror as Vanessa's belt hung loosened around her waist while the huntress grabbed the top of her pants and began to slowly slide them down. "T-to, not keep Queen Gracia waiting?" Victor asked shakily, his eyes sliding down to focus on the mirror which unfortunately reflected not only his flushed face and his stiff figure, but that of the now pantless Vanessa dark in the corner who was now reaching to grab the hem of her gray tank top.
"Oh she'll be fine," Vanessa said dismissively tugging her gray tank top up slowly exposing more and more of her midriff, making Victor's jaw drop just slightly. Damn Vanessa was ripped.
The thought made Victor remember who he was eyeing and it snapped him back to attention the boy quickly shutting his eyes tight while Vanessa glanced over at him with a dark grin on her face before continuing to tug off her tank top.
"O-okay.. I-I see your point, I'll…go uh…" Victor grappled for some excuse as he cracked an eye open and his eyes widened and his face went bright red at the sight that was reflected in the glass. A bit of blood began to leak from his nose before he hastily snapped his hand to cover it, then he drew back a few steps. "Youknow,I'llgohelpLaurinthekitchen,sorrymilady!" He quickly squeaked out before he fled the room Vanessa left alone in her room chuckling after him.
"Stupid males." She said with a roll of her eyes as she tossed aside her tank top. "Show them a well-endowed woman and they're completely useless, tsk, what pigs." She said before turning to her wardrobe and beginning to fish around inside. "Now to find something to wear…"
/-/
After spending about 15 minutes or so putting herself together and making herself look less like a cat burglar and more like an elite, Vanessa descended down the stairs of her mansion dressed in tall gray boots, black leggings, and a simple lavender dress that reached her mid-thigh with a v-neck. It was casual but Vanessa wore it well. Plus with her black hair recently washed and curled to emphasize her long wavy locks, she looked fit to be a queen.
However, if there was one thing that had been drilled into her head when she'd been a teenager, it was that whatever you wore you had to be confident in it and as sure as yourself as if you were wearing the most elegant ballroom gown and preparing to attend some sort of extravagant party where everyone there was someone, and one wrong step and you'd be no one.
When Vanessa entered her living room near the entrance of the home and took in the sight of the two young girls, she knew she'd have to try and work that lesson in at some point.
Seated side by side on her sofa was Luna Nightingale and Sunset Rose, both aged 16.
Luna sat near the well decorated mantle admiring one of the silverworks perched atop the grand fireplace. The girl was a noble by birth, being the younger daughter of the Etera Ambassador Isabelle Nightingale, but you wouldn't tell that if you saw her.
Luna's long black hair was flat, and Vanessa could pick out a few split ends at the ends of her hair, and the girl had one streak of blue in her hair on her left side. The girl was an Eterian, who were people who grew up on a planet with little light so her light blue eyes had smaller pupils than that of normal humans and many of the other mess of misfits that made up of Docorrus's population. Her eyes actually resembled that of a gundalian's perhaps, except not as reptilian. Luna was a teenager, and her present outfit showed that quite clearly. The girl wore a dark blue shirt with a silver star in the middle of it, then she wore what resembled black yoga pants, and on her feet she wore simple short black boots with a slight heel. It would've been all good and dandy if she'd been wearing that in say the badlands or on Earth, but it was hardly appropriate dress for one of noble blood who wished to be taken seriously in the cut-throat (literally) politics of Docorrus.
Seated beside her was a girl with vibrant red hair with light yellow highlights blended in such a way that if you looked at her in the right light her hair resembled that of fire. This was Sunset Rose. She has slightly bronzed skin, which stood out starkly from Luna's vampire pale skin. In fact the only similarity the two shared was their eye color, for Sunset also had light colored irises, but hers were turquoise rather than blue. Aside from that, while Luna was dressed in all dark cool colors, Sunset was dressed in a rather plain magenta hoodie and plum colored sweat pants. Vanessa had to resist the urge to curl her lip in disgust at the sight of it. It was just so plain, and it didn't really do anything for Sunset. Sunset would look great in black, whereas Luna would look really good in something silver.
However, Vanessa was forced to push her assessments of the two's choice of dress to the back of her mind as she smiled at the two fourteen year old girls. These two held promise, as Huntresses, and maybe with a bit of grooming, as Elites, and Vanessa wasn't about to drive a wedge between herself and them by nitpicking over their clothes. She could get to being brutally honest later when she had them in her iron clad grip. The thought made her smile broaden, which just happened to coincide with Luna jumping from her seat when Vanessa stepped towards them.
"Lady Vanessa!" Luna said a huge smile on her face, the girl spread her arms clearly looking for some affection, which Vanessa allowed spreading her arms marginally in invitation which the teenager happily took. "I'm so glad you've returned!" Luna gushed throwing her arms around Vanessa's neck and hugging the woman tightly before pulling back looking up at her, admiration and respect glittering in those bright blue eyes, her hair practically vibrating with how happy she was.
Vanessa smiled easily. Eterians were supposedly very astute about emotions, but what they apparently didn't realize it was that when they were happy, or pleased, or in other words content their whole being vibrated with it. For Luna, her tell was how her hair seemed to shimmer at the ends, or vibrate, or a mixture of the two when she was extremely happy. Which Vanessa had seen once, when the girl had first been introduced to Sunset through Vanessa, the girl had been so happy when she'd befriended the other girl her hair had started to ripple like it was a cloth blowing through some phantom breeze with the ends shimmering like silver glitter had been dumped on the tips of her hair.
"I am glad to be back as well." Vanessa said easily, summoning up memories of her successful hunt to make her mood come off even happier. "I was delighted to hear that you two had called."
Luna beamed. "Well, I've been dying to see you!" She gushed. "It's going to be my fifteenth birthday soon!" She said bouncing up and down with barely contained excitement.
"Ah," Vanessa said sitting down in the red plush chair across from the sofa she crossed her leg and tilted her head to the side. "It's time for you to get your first male." She said nodding. "An exciting time indeed."
On Docorrus a woman was considered an adult when she reached the age of 16, but as a way of celebrating the last year of their childhood before adulthood many elite families purchased a male for their daughter to care for all while being still under the watchful eye of their guardian to make sure that they kept their male properly. Thus preparing them for when they had to move out from their families home and starting out on their own and dealing with having their, servant around to help them.
"She's been fawning over this one all since we've got here." Sunset added, finally lifting her head from her tea to glance over at the boy with gray eyes and blond hair that was so pale it was almost white. He was dressed in a simple long sleeved white shirt under a sleek black vest with a tie tied around his neck, just concealing the glittering metal collar that was wrapped around his throat. Then he wore simple black slacks and shiny black shoes on his lower half. He stood holding a silver tray with one elegant black china tea cup perched atop it, his eyes purposely averted from looking at Vanessa.
Vanessa's eyes narrowed at the boy, wariness growing in her belly as well as a twinge of anger. Whoever had caused this oversight of letting visitors see Laur would pay. Sure she had wanted the boy to be useful but she didn't want him out in the open like this.
"Yeah, is he like mute or something? He just brought the tea in but he hasn't said anything, even when I stood in front of him and like ordered him to tell me what his name was." Luna reported frowning slightly.
Vanessa forced herself to not heave a sigh of relief, as she smiled easily and waved a hand. "Unfortunately yes, I don't know the details but he was like that when I got him. He still manages to make trouble for me even without an annoying voice," She crooked her finger to beckon Laur near, and the boy came over to her albeit reluctantly. "But he still knows his place," She said taking the black china tea cup into her hands and waving him off. "Obeying his mistress, as all males should." Laur returned to his previous position and resumed looking blankly at the floor.
Luna nodded though she was frowning. "Oh man, what if I get one that's damaged too?" She asked sounding distressed. "I mean, sure its just the voice, but some of the women say the men can make interesting conversation, and some well… they enjoy it when they're capable of making sounds."
Vanessa grimaced at that. "Tsk, of course some take their men for granted." She scowled. "They treat them like playthings that can be thrown around and beaten and broken without any trouble because they're second class citizens."
"But they are aren't they?" Sunset asked suddenly frowning. "I mean, every Docorrian is brought up to know that men are inferior to women, to say otherwise is-is."
"Oh I'm not denying men are inferior to women," Vanessa said simply. "They're easily tricked, they may be stronger in brute strength, they're loud, boisterous and dim. But they can be extremely useful tools when used properly." She glanced towards Laur. "Take this one for example," She said gesturing to him. "He answers my every beck and call with out a moment of hesitation, and he respects me and treats me with the reverence I, as a woman of high rank, deserve."
"But that's to be expected of all men," Sunset put in eyebrows furrowing.
"Expected yes, but do you know what you lose when you beat them, when you treat them like they're meaningless? They believe it, or they rail against it until they succumb to it. When you've made them think they're meaningless, they are. In some of my hunts I've come to rely just as strongly on the strengths of my boys as I would on my own. If I beat any of them, they wouldn't be inclined to give it their all thus making them useless to me. But by treating them better than some of the other women, by making them get it through their thick skulls." A dark glare in Laur's direction. "That my word is law, they are the most useful and loyal servants you will ever find."
Sunset still looked a bit troubled but she nodded in understanding. "It-it makes sense I suppose, but after Queen Gracia abolished the co-ed police force, they're really cracking down on men being inferior, and some of the more vocal sympathizers have even been executed…" Her last words trailing off into a soft mumble.
Vanessa nodded. "I know, I had to take out some of them myself." She said flexing her fingers like she would when she was unsheathing her claws. "But it was for the best, after all, once we let the men be on equal standing with us, even a little bit, the others are going to think they should stand on equal ground to us."
Luna frowned. "It sounds really hard," She murmured. "Like you have to be strict enough to make them remember their place, but at the same time nice enough to get them to do what you want? How am I gonna manage with my own? I'm still not even a huntress yet."
Vanessa opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut off when Pierce knocked on the door frame leading from the hallway that connected the living room to some of the other rooms to the back of the mansion.
"My apologies for interrupting milady," Pierce said entering the room and dropping down to one knee in front of Vanessa, his arm crossing his chest as he lowered his head in reverence. "But its been an hour since her highness requested your presence, I thought it wise to advise you of the time." Pierce bowed his head further. "I hope I haven't displeased you."
Vanessa waved her hand frowning. "I'm fine, thanks for reminding me." She said placing her tea cup down on the coffee table in between the sofa and the chair she was sitting on. "It is probably about time I gave my report to Queen Gracia."
Across from her the two girls' eyes widened.
"You're going to report directly to Queen Gracia?!" Luna gasped.
"I thought all huntresses gave their reports to Amira?" Sunset asked tilting her head to the side.
Vanessa rose form her seat and straightened herself up and rolled her neck a moment. "Well, my report involves the state of affairs on Earth," A look of understanding crossed Luna's eyes and then her hair started shimmering as the girl got excited.
"Do you think they're going to add Earth to our planets connected to Docorrus?" She asked excitedly. "Are you going to be the ambassador?"
Vanessa shook her head. "Presently no plans involving adding Earth to the fold have been made, as Gracia and I haven't discussed the state of matters there, or how they seem to be leaning towards going." She said stepping away from her chair tapping Pierce on the shoulder as she did, the man immediately rising to his feet to stand beside her. "But trust me when I get back I'll tell you all about the situation." She assured the girl.
"You want to meet with us when you get back?" Luna asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, normally you tolerate us for an hour or so and then don't see us again for months at a time." Sunset said looking suspicious.
Vanessa laughed. "Ah well, I was busy, its not easy being an elite huntress." She said with a wave of her hand. "But I need to transfer my two latest captures from the Stockade to the Facility, and I figured with you likely picking out your male soon, it might be a good idea to get a tour of the place, and a chance to meet some of the males you'll be picking from."
Luna's eyes lit up. "Really?!" She cried clasping her hands together. "Oh Lady Vanessa! Thank you! Thank you so much!" Her hair had begun to ripple like a large gust of wind had hit it and the ends sparked like firecrackers to the point where Sunset actually got up from her spot to give the other girl some space.
Vanessa nodded. "Really," Then she sighed and schooled her features into a more stern expression. "Now you two are welcome to stay here, as long as you don't break anything or anyone understood?"
Luna nodded her head vigorously while Sunset glanced sideways at her friend before she nodded her head as well.
Vanessa smiled. "Good, now as practice for when you have your own males, find Victor and Trent and get them to help you organize the other servants to clean the mansion for when I get back."
"But won't you need them?" Sunset asked frowning as she glanced at Pierce. "I mean you're going to be visiting Queen Gracia and her council and the elites with just one male at your side?"
Vanessa chuckled as she linked arms with Pierce the male not even glancing sideways at her, just easily complying with the action. "The Elites like to throw their power around by having their big giant burly body guards, Pierce is threatening enough and all I need if I need to remind someone." She barred her teeth and narrowed her eyes. "That you don't mess with Vanessa Dark."
A/N: Okay wow this chapter has a whole of stuff going on. I know you're all prolly going, what's Etera? Why's Luna got weird powers? Or something of the like, or maybe even 'What's the deal with Laur'
Etera is a planet that Docorrus has friendly relations with, it'll mostly be mentioned as an ally to Docorrus, or in relation to Luna Nightingale who is an Eterian.
Really I just wanted to have a moment to introduce Luna and Sunset, and then it kinda went on this tangent to go into the crazy Docorrian philosophy. So it's a bit of filler but we'll get to our other cast members trapped on Docorrus soon enough.
So what do you guys think of a chapter detailing Vanessa's point of view? Do you like it? OR do you feel it was bad?
Please let me know in your reviews.
Also Breezy, Laur appeared in this chapter :D, I know Creedence was more of your charry, but well, her time will come, trust me.
Anyways onto the review responses!
Daniellakuso: Here ya go :D
MegamanXZ: Glad to hear that you're enjoying it, it slows down a bit this chapter, but it'll pick up soon enough. Whoot!
Dementor: No Leonidas will not be making an appearance
Antex: Yup we're back in Docorrus with another chapter featuring Vanessa and some new characters from Docorrus. Next chapter we'll meet the Queen, a rival, and an annoying brat that just thinking about her makes me want to punch something. Also MORE PIERCE XP. Sadly Antex won't be making an appearance any time in the near future, unless I think of a way to put him in :(
Anyways please review as they encourage me to update sooner. Like seriously they're the lifeblood for any fanfiction writer. So please please PLEASE review.
