Guess who is having hella bad writers block with the actual thing I am supposed to be writing but also can't stop writing random bullshit?
So yeah, I imagine Ariadne's final form to be kind of a hybrid of Jessica Rabbit and Shakky. So cool and collected, extremely powerful, and extremely sexy. So here we have Ariadne running a jazz bar that doubles as a woman's shelter. Isn't that fun?
The young girl panted hard as she sprinted down the cobblestone street. She turned a corner into a dark alleyway and threw her back against the wall. She held her breath as she heard several pairs of feet rush past the alley way. Once the footsteps had faded the hesitantly took a step back towards the street and peeked out to see if any of the men that had been chasing her were still there. When she spotted an angry looking man standing only a few feet away she choked back a yelp and backed further into the alley.
She turned to run the other way and as she ran down the narrow alleyway she finally came to a door. It was a simple wooden door with a sign that said, "The Grotto." With nowhere else to go the young girl hesitantly pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Inside the door was a long narrow staircase leading down into a dark room. The young girl could hear soft piano music drifting up the staircase and as quietly as she could, she started to creep down the stairs. At the bottom she followed the passageway to the right and saw that it opened up into a massive room that seemed to be carved out of the bedrock of the island. In the center of the room was an elevated stage with a golden piano on it. Seated at the piano bench was a woman dressed in a sleek black gown who was playing a delicate melody. Surrounding the stage were several tables with lit candles at the center of each. Winding between the tables and around the stage were several small streams of water that gurgled softly, complementing the music as if the piece had been written to be accompanied by flowing water.
However what stunned the young girl the most was the way in which the people lounging in the room were dressed. All around her were men and women dressed in the finest formal wear she had ever seen. The patrons chatted quietly as they sipped their classy cocktails and enjoyed the sound of the piano and the streams.
Dazzled by the fancy clothes and beautiful music, the young girl didn't notice that she had abandoned her stealth and found herself standing in the center of the room near the edge of the stage. That is until a hand fell on her shoulder and a sultry voice said, "Oh my, what have we here?"
She jumped and whipped around to see a stunning red haired woman wearing a shimmering green dress standing behind her. The woman smirked and said, "Is the little guppy lost?"
The young girl gulped and took a step back only to have another woman lay a hand on the top of her head and say, "Deary me, she certainly does look lost now doesn't she, ladies?"
Suddenly the young girl noticed the small crowd of women surrounding her. Each of them were dressed in exquisite gowns with jewels and gold accents. But what caused the young girl to hunch her shoulders and look away wasn't the stark contrast in their outfits but rather the way in which the women held themselves. Each of them stood tall with their shoulders back and gave off an air that made it clear that they were not to be trifled with.
"I-I-I-" The young girl stuttered, unable to speak.
A woman in a light blue gown with soft blonde waves stepped up and said, "Don't worry little one. We'll take care of you. You're safe now."
The woman took her hand and led her to a lavish booth in a dimly lit corner of the room with a small table surrounded by plush couches. Lounging on one of the couches was a woman dressed in a barely there white dress that clung to her every lush curve and toned muscle. Unlike the other women this woman did not wear a single jewel and yet was even more striking that the rest.
Without even glancing at the young girl the other women had brought her, she lifted up a small mirror and started to touch up the deep red lipstick on her lips.
"What have you brought me girls?" The woman said without looking away from her own reflection.
The woman in the light blue gown who still held the young girl's hand said, "A little guppy that wandered in off the streets, Goddess."
"Now, now, you know how I feel about being called that." The woman said before snapping shut the compact mirror and throwing her long strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder.
"You love it really, as you should. There is no title more accurate to describe you after all."
The woman laughed loudly before uncrossing her long legs and rising to stand a head above the other women. The young girl stepped back and cowered as she took a step closer.
"While that may be true, just Ariadne will do. Now why don't you come with me, little one? I would so love to learn what brought you to my doorstep." She said as she offered out a hand for the young girl to take.
The woman in the green dress who first spotted the young girl stepped up and said, "Are you sure that's a good idea Goddess? We don't know anything about her."
Ariadne sighed and rolled her eyes before saying, "She is dressed in rags, is absolutely filthy, and the only part of her skin that I can see is where her tears have washed away the dirt. I think it is safe to assume why she is here."
"She could be a spy."
"Just as you could have been." Ariadne said with a sharp glare at the woman. "Do not forget the state you were in when we first met. I think this little guppy deserves the same chance to explain herself as you did."
The woman backed up and stammered,"Y-yes, Goddess. I apologize I didn't mean-"
"Apologies are for the weak. You spoke your mind honestly and with only good intentions. You have nothing to apologize for." Ariadne said before offering her hand to the young girl again. "Come along little one."
The young girl looked at her hand for a moment before reaching up to take it with her own trembling hand. Then Ariadne led the girl through the tables set around the room and through a small door hidden among the rocks making up the walls of the room. Through the door was a much smaller room with walls made of wood and candles scattered about the room. Much like the corner that Ariadne had been at earlier, this room was filled with plush couches. But in contrast to the cold corner, there were countless blankets and pillows scattered about making the room feel far warmer than the massive cavern they had just left.
"Make yourself comfortable, little guppy. Are you hungry?" Ariadne asked as she closed the door behind them.
The girl shakily nodded as she stood in the center of the room, unsure of what to do or where to sit.
"Mon, would you be a dear and go get us some snacks?" Ariadne said to the seemingly empty room.
The young girl jumped when a monkey she hadn't noticed before gave a disgruntled screech before standing and making his way out of the room.
"Don't mind him. He's a member of my crew."
"You're a pirate." The young girl said, finally finding her voice.
Ariadne nodded and said, "I am. Do you know who I am?"
The girl nodded slowly as tears started to gather in her eyes. "You're the Siren. You're a member of his- Red Hair's crew. You- you're dangerous."
"Every living thing on this planet is dangerous, little guppy. Some of us simply choose to capitalize on it." Ariadne said as she made her way across the room to a couch in the corner of the room.
She sat down and pulled a blanket into her lap, clearing the seat next to her. "But we aren't here to talk about me."
The girl took a step closer but stayed standing as she started to say, "I-I didn't mean to come in here. I was- they were chasing me. I didn't-"
"You didn't know where else to go." Ariadne said with a nod.
The girl nodded as well but still couldn't stop the tears from slipping down her cheeks. Ariadne looked at her for a minute before saying, "Do you have any family on this island?"
She shook her head and said, "I'm alone. I've always been alone."
"I know what that's like." Ariadne said with a nod. "But that could change if you want. You could stay here."
"I don't want to be a pirate."
"No, no you wouldn't be. Whatever you wish to pursue is your choice. If you want to be a musician, an artist, a fighter, a thief, a politician, it's up to you. We will provide you with safety, a warm bed, and food to eat while you make your choice and get on your feet."
The young girl's brow furrowed as she roughly wiped at her cheeks and said, "You'll let me live here? And you won't force me to be a pirate? Why? For what? What are you getting out of it?"
Ariadne smirked and said, "You're smarter than you let on, little guppy. But I don't want anything from you simply because you have nothing I want. I have limitless money, beauty, influence, knowledge, power. So no, there is nothing for me to gain besides keeping one more girl from going through what I have."
"What does that mean?"
"You don't get to where I am in life without a few scars, little guppy. And us girls, we need to look out for each other. So again, the choice is yours, do you want to go back to living your every waking moment in fear, alone on the streets? Or stay here and gain freedom and a family."
"Family?"
"I told you, us girls need to stick together. Every woman I take under my protection becomes like a sister to me, and I protect my own."
The young girl sniffled as tears welled up in her eyes. She nodded and said, "Yes, I- I want to say here. Help me, please."
Ariadne smiled softly and stood before walking over to the young girl. She knelt down and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks as she said, "Of course, little guppy. Now, no more tears, you're safe now."
Then she gathered the young girl in her arms and hugged her tightly. The young girl stiffened as she remembered that she was covered in dirt and was undoubtedly ruining her white gown but Ariadne just held her tighter and rubbed her back softly. Finally the young girl hugged her back just as fiercely and let herself cry.