"Oh, yes." Nyx nodded, hiding her surprise at the behaviour of the girl in front of her "I better not make him wait then, right?"

Trix smile widened ... "He is waiting for a few days or so, but sure walk right in. He never leaves the basement."

Nyx nodded "Alright. Take care then." With a small wave of her hand, Nyx left the other girl and, taking an elevator, went to find Tony.

@Nyx There is no interface on the elevator to bring you to the desired floor. No button, no AR menu or voice activation. As you enter the elevator however it somehow takes you the floor you wanted. An unmarked floor between basement -4 and basement -5. You, of course, did not know in advance that you wanted to floor -4.5, it is just that the elevator stopped there and then suddenly there was a door. As you enter you may sense the powerful ward, enveloping the entire floor. It is also a Faraday cage so no matrix signals at all. it is just like that floor is cut off from this world. Inside there are the usual interrogation rooms, all empty - not much use now when the Casino is empty most of the time. There a single lit room at the end of a long corridor, right and left are dark interrogation rooms.

Nyx looked around with a grimace. All of that seemed a bit too much, and she really hoped she wouldn't have to spend most of her days in such an environment. Assuming of course she decided to go through with this. Whatever this ended up to be… Shaking her head, she walked towards the lit room, making sure she didn't miss anything on the way. Part of it because she wasn't really comfortable in such a place, part of it because who knew, there could be a test somewhere…

@Nyx The room is considerably larger than the rest and seems like a one bedroom apartment. It is fully furnished yet lacks some character. It feels too clean and too tidy as if nobody actually lives there. As you enter, a small coffee machine begins boiling, as if some sensor identified you and decided that you'd like to drink, but the room otherwise seems empty and quiet.
Actually, the noise of the boiling water is the only thing that prevents an uncomfortable and complete silence in that room.

Despite her misgivings regarding the entire conversation so far, Simone is not immune to the effect or the opportunity. For some reason, her panties are very damp and her nipples threaten to cut holes in her shirt. Her avatar licks her lips. "Say I am interested, what di I need to do next?"

The Vixen says "Oh, but you are interested... You do not need to play tough with me." she approaches Simone's avatar and her tail brushes her leg, slowly climbing its way up her hips. "I know you have some technical skills, so I'll need to make sure that your background check passes and that there is the right malfunction in our organization. Since I handle most of the technical work it should not be hard."

She moves her face close to Simone's lips and then says "If you can still think clearly, do tell me. Which kind of work would be most reliable for us to need you for? Think about something that would keep us alive if someone asks for questions."

Nyx looked around, wondering if this was some kind of test. One way or another, she decided to take the cup of coffee, and started to explore the place. She wasn't looking for anything at this point, merely wanting to see where she was exactly.

@Nyx It was a one bedroom apartment. Small kitchen, double sized bed programmable pictures on the wall. It seems like it was copy pasted from some catalog as an apartment for wage-slaves. Except that it was completely underground - without any way to contact or access the outside world. There was nobody there - and as the moments passed, there was no obvious way to leave. The elevator did not respond, a certain mark was required and apparently either by intention or by accident, Nyx did not have that mark. Other than the apartment were four small interrogation rooms, each with a small table and two chairs, completely clean as if they were just washed. The only thing in the apartment was a smart home minor AI, which kept the floor cleaned and apparently tried to show some hospitality by making the coffee.

So... A test. Hopefully. It could very well be a plot to capture her and claim the bounty on her head after all. She doubted it was though, there would have been much easier ways to do it. Not that she was overconfident there, she didn't doubt that as soon as she became useless, it would be a possibility. For the time being - hopefully - she was safe. Which left two possibilities: either Tony wanted to see how she adapted to this situation...or how she managed to leave. Assuming it was possible. In which case... She was in trouble. Weird as it was, escaping from situations like this hadn't ever been on the menu as far as she was concerned. If she had no one to talk to, she was screwed... Even if she'd had the tools, she probably wouldn't have been able to do much.

Her only hope then was that there were clues hidden around her. Clues about what she was here for, and how to get out.



Perception: 15d6t5 6

@Nyx There were not much of clues, there were carefully concealed stairs out of that floor. Nyx found them with her sharp senses, but these were blocked by an armored fire-proof door. Perhaps given time the door could be broken - but there were no obvious tools and it was a heavy door. It could take many hours, perhaps days even. The lock was mechanical, again with the right skills it could be defeated but there were no proper tools.

There were no notes and no hidden messages. It was just a place to stay, solitary confinement in a prison. A paranoid drake alone with her thoughts.

... what could possibly go wrong?

Nyx frowned. Finding the hidden stairs was something, but that didn't get her far at the moment. Not unless she could find a way to open the lock. Assuming this was a test - and she really didn't want to consider the alternative at the moment - there had to be a key or the code somewhere. She started to look for it, including in the menu of the coffee-machine if it was a code, or in its water reserve if it was a key she was looking for. Under the tables and the chairs in the interrogation rooms, etc.

She doubted it would be that "easy", but... Maybe it was. Better safe than sorry.

Simone is not sure that she can think clearly when the other woman moves closer to her. It takes a lot of willpower to force herself to think. "I am good at repairing things. Weapons, drones, implants. I am a good physician and can help keep people healthy. Does that help any?"

@Simone Blue Vixen replies "I'll think about it... and you think about me in the meanwhile." her avatar kisses Simone passionately and then disappears. Not the Vixen, Simone... she finds herself disconnected involuntarily back in her trailer.


@Nyx as the hours pass, you begin thinking that this is no test. There is no hidden code in the coffee machine, no clues under the tables. You are captured, at the mercy of whomever, your keeper is - at the mercy of the air circulation machine and perhaps even the coffee and soy processing machine. There seems to be no practical way out unless you want to brute force it and you lack the tools and technical skills to handle lock or temper with the matrix security of the elevator. You have no mean of contacting the outside world - it seems like you were better off locked in that box a few months ago.

You are left alone in that apartment, alone with your thoughts and fear of the unknown. It would not take that much to subdue you, stopping the air filtering or a poison gas perhaps. Perhaps you could do some damage with your dragon powers- but the ward would be a problem and are you desperate enough to go full dragon in a place which is likely photographed?

Simone cries out in pain as she is forced back to the real world. The agony of being involuntarily subjected to dumpshock in that fashion causes her to swear several oaths in French at the Vixen and it takes several minutes to even be able to stumble to where her first aid kit is located. "Fuck her, if that is how she is going to treat me. Just fuck her. Damn, that hurts."

She does what she can to mend herself and lays down to rest rather than open the window for business.

Not quite ready to admit this is not a test, Nyx swore as soon as she's out, she was done. This is not the kind of games she wanted to play. She still thought it was a test, one aimed at figuring how she'd handled being locked up with nothing to do and no one to talk to. Well, the answer was poorly. She had enough willpower to not go straight to depression but to say she enjoyed her current situation would have been quite the exaggeration. So instead, she spent her time sleeping and thinking about what she'd do once out...and how she should react if it ended up not being a test... The answer was pretty much nothing though. Yes, she was a drake, but she wasn't even decent at fighting anything or anyone.

@Simone As a headache gradually passes, a sneaking thought bothers you. Did she really mean to dumpshock you like that? or did something happened right before you lost the connection? There was no malice in these eyes, she seemed to be enjoying herself as she passionately kissed you. Why dumpshocking you in the middle and risking your health?

Is she in trouble?

was your conspiracy detected so soon?

Did she dumpshock you to prevent its detection?

Or were you dumpshocked by somebody else entirely...

You do not know the answers, it just seems unlikely that the Vixen would not play with you for a while longer. Her body language and mannerism showed eagerness for more, much more than a kiss. If any, she was patient and enjoying the tension that was building up between the two of you.

@Nyx time slowly passes, hours at first. Then a day, then multiple days. It feels like forever, and time passes really slowly.

The little imaginary devil on one shoulder is pushing hard for Simone to dislike Vixen for what she has done, but now there is an imaginary angel on the other shoulder, lending doubt to what she thinks happened. Everything would be so easy if Vixen were a real shit, but what if.............................

Simone struggles through the rest of the day, trying to recover from the effects of Dumpshock. As it is, she has to wait for Vixen to contact her again as she has no idea where to go or even where to begin looking.

In other circumstances, Nyx could have found a week spent doing nothing relaxing. Probably. Maybe. Between the boredom and the stress however, it felt like hell. By its end, she had played every single games she had on her 'link that didn't require a matrix connection - meaning not so many - and had read everything she had in there. Nothing interesting. As for the rest of her time, she fantasized about what she'd do to Tony if she could. It never was anything pleasant, and always colourful.

The lack of change and limited cleaning capabilities wasn't to her taste either. So when the door finally opened, she was if a foul mood to say the least. Not a fiery one though, despite her nature. No, it was a cold rage.

@Nyx Tony opens the elevator door that closes behind him. He walks calmly and confidently from the elevator and takes a seat at one of the chairs. He said "Hello Nyx, I have been waiting to see you for some time now."

@Simone No reply arrives that day, it is a slow day without much traffic. In the news, you can hear about the pixie scandal and some more interview with the Harmon of women released after being held by a mighty vampire. One of them is interviewed and claims that Grail did some mind control over her and that she has been captive for three years. She seems distant and drained as if life offered nothing more to her. Most of the released women were in similar shape.

Nyx crossed her arms on her chest. She'd have liked nothing more than to bash his head to the ground, and step on it - repeatedly for good measure - but that wouldn't lead to anything. Odds were the elevator was still locked, so even if she did manage to take Tony out, she wouldn't be able to get away from this place. To say nothing of the fact that she didn't believe she could take him in the first place. Her voice dripping in sarcasm, she said "Waiting? I'm sure. You got lost or something?"

@Nyx Tony said "No not lost, just doing my work. You came to learn, so I teach you - it is a privilege that few people have. Let us begin, shall we? Our first lesson is about understanding your current situation, no growth can be achieved before you understand. So Tell me, Nyx what is your current situation?"

Nyx groaned angrily "Actually, I came to decide if I wanted to learn anything from you, what would it be, stuff like that. After this week, having had so much time to think about it, I decided I didn't want to."

Tony replied "You lose focus. I asked if you understand what your situation is. I did not ask what you want. " He sighed "Let me guide you toward understanding. Some months ago, you started working at the Gates. Tell me about that."

Nyx's expression hardened, answering in a cold tone "Because I was found in a van parked on your parking and Valentina decided she could keep me around."

Tony said "You was not *found* in a van... You were extracted and delivered as intended. I personally made all the arrangements to get you here. We had open issues with the people that extracted you - so we killed two birds with one stone - sort of speaking. "

"Great." Considering Nyx's expression, it was pretty obvious she found that anything but great. Especially when she thought back to that time "What do you want?"

Tony said "So to be clear. You are not a free drake. You never was 'free', there are no free drakes.' Your creation is a considerable investment. You were born and raised the way you were for a reason. You cannot runaway from this, It is bigger than both of us."

All blood drained from Nyx's face, as she looked at Tony for a while. Finally, she asked again "What do you want?"

Not that she cared much about his answer. Her only goal was to get away, whatever it took. She knew she had stayed in Seattle far too long. She should have left weeks ago. Instead, she had been careless, she had allowed herself to believe that in the chaos no one would pay her any attention. Worse, she should have known an organization like the mafia wouldn't pass on earning 100k without doing much for it. And now… Now, she'd have to say - and do - whatever it took to get out of there…and flee as soon as possible, assuming she even could. Death was better than being the mindless slave of anyone, even a dragon. Particularly a dragon.

Tony said "If you are so eager to hear what I want then I would answer. I want for you to remain alive, to be happy and find meaning in what you do. It does not mean that I would not kill you myself if ordered to. You are a controversial experiment, an agent living as a mortal, a free spirit. Some would say that you are volatile, indisciplined and reckless and that your lack of education would damage the cause, but I see the potential in having an agent that actually thinks like a mortal. In the long term, I think that it would pay off... if you behave yourself.

If we switched to a small talk. How long did a week feel to you? Being so young I'd imagine it felt like a long time.
Some of my superiors would suggest a year, perhaps even a decade. Though, I do not want to break you, what is the point in raising you like a mortal and hammering you into thinking like an immortal? You see once you live long enough, you gain a perspective that humanity cannot understand.

You are home Nyx, for the first time in your life you can live the life that you were destined to live. No more hiding and no more running away. We were observing you, hoped that you survive the hardship that brought you here. In the last mission, you showed potential. Enough potential to mean that you are more an asset than a liability, but that assessment may change and I am not the one calling the shots.


This new world, your new home. It follows different rules than anything you experienced. You can choose to blend in and find your place, or you can choose not to do so. One way leads into you growing to be a very influential woman in history and the other ends with you either dead or hiding in the shadows for the rest of your very long life. Always looking around your shoulder and never quite safe.

There is little I can do to affect that choice, my elders are certain that this experiment is doomed to fail - that without conditioning your behavior from a young age there is no hope for you ever falling in line. However, in her wisdom, the great dragon Hestaby allowed your creation. For what it is worth, I believe that she intended for you to be a positive force in history. "

After hearing the news about the women, she wonders if one is this Blue Vixen. None of them had actually come out and told the police that was her name, but then, that information might not have been made public. Simone closes the shop windows and puts her tools away for the day before moving the van down the road. She knows a couple of cops and will go ask one if he knows more than is being put in the news vids.

Knowing where Sergeant Kowalski patrols, Simone pulls up behind his car and leaves the van to go gently rap at the window of the police cruiser.

@Simone The Lone star officers pulls over, and waves at Simone. "What you been up to lately?" he asks.

For a long moment, Nyx didn't say a word. That wasn't really what she had been expecting. Still, while there were a few positive points, there were also a lot of more worrying ones. At some point, still sounding angry, she said "I'd have been far less angry if you had said all that to me the first evening." quite sarcastically, she added "Oh and I'm truly sorry I didn't find the opportunity to go to college to get an education, a terrible mistake on my part. Having my parents murdered when I was twelve and being hunted since then is no excuse, I know."

She glared at Tony for a few seconds before she asked "What is your definition of behaving, of that line I'm supposed to be toeing? Who are those elders who call the shots?" she frowned "More importantly, whatever that cause of yours is, I don't hink I ever did anything against it. Can't you just ignore me and I'll do the same?" she didn't wait for an answer to her last question before she answered herself "Well of course not, it's all about control. Something you don't own, you destroy."

@Nyx Tony replied calmly "Your life story is unfortunate and I am sorry about the people that raised you. Your mere existence poses a danger. You see Nyx, you know it by now but your creation was not a natural process. You are the product of secrets that only great dragons know. You are a calculated risk, an investment and the greatest danger is having some human faction uncovering how to create drakes. About telling you, I would have told you earlier, but the decision to keep you alive was only recently taken.

Still, I wanted you to feel - to understand that there is no escape. You are not talking about the police, you are talking about a great dragon. A being which neither of us can begin to comprehend, with depth and intellect and a perspective that goes back many millennia. I took a week from your life to try and make you understand how powerless you are to resist this fate. A dragon can decide to keep you here for a century - until everyone you know is dead. She can do so for the slightest sign of conflicted loyalty."

He seemed a bit sad within the last sentence, there was something untold there. "You trust nobody, your every instinct is against the DNA of our organizations, the pitfalls, and test you would have to overcome are numerous and many even expect you to fail. To succeed you need to want the life that we offer, want them enough to learn how to trust again. To become a part of a cause. To believe in a grand plan, even when you are given just bits and pieces. Think of the world like a chess game - you just got promoted to being a pawn in this epic game. Insignificant now, but as the years pass you can become very influential a force of history. If you can convince this organization to keep you. "

He paused "Our goal is quite modest right now, we use Valentina as a mask and advance her through the ranks of the Mafia. She is not a drake, she does not know. All she knows is that I trained her since she was a little girl, taught her to be the brilliant politician that she is. She knows nothing about the great Hestaby and nothing about the cause, she follows her own desire. You see, when I speak about education I do not speak about college - I speak about a person that I formed to the image I wanted using many years of subtle manipulation and conviction.

Valentina is a mortal, she will live her short life and achieve what she does. Never knowing that her rise to power was a means to an end. You are immortal, a drake - like me. You can live throughout the ages and watch the world change, evolve advance and then gets destroyed again. This cycle of destruction, our goal is to stop it. You see, we live in a world which is periodically invaded by beings of extreme power that butcher most of the inhabitants and are then forced to leave when the magic levels drop. It is a vicious cycle and only a handful get to live long enough to understand that this is no way to exist.

However, these are long-term goals, longer than what you and I can comprehend. It takes someone who lived through several cycles to comprehend the magnitude of this tragedy. Humans are too short-lived to comprehend, their entire history is limited to a single cycle. I do not expect you to comprehend, but this is the goal.

In the short term, there is something very wrong with this city. It has been going on for the last century and is becoming increasingly obvious. Too many magical influences, too many vampires, ghouls - mysterious undead ravaging the streets.
Powerful spirits that should not be able to get to our plane of existence find there way here. Artificial Intelligence like Red, which is too sophisticated to exist by every single one of our predictive models just took over the city. This is unprecedented. There must be some root cause to all this chaos, either some other great Dragon is breaking the rules and teaching forbidden knowledge to humanity, or someone found a way to connect this plane with another plane. There are many options - we need to discover this root cause and eliminate it. Restore the city back to normal, and if you know Hestaby, she also holds an extreme green ideology. Meaning that we support the Alliance as well, which explains why we sent you to occupy that farm and strengthen them with a mage that specializes in agriculture.

Think plans within plans within plans, calculations, and predictions. Small things that eventually add up to big effects. We cannot always understand, but our patron does and she does not bother to explain it all. Still, her plans leave a lot of room for us to be creative. Even great dragons cannot see the big picture and also all the tiny details at the same time. So we get missions from time to time, whose general goal should lead us to fix this city.

I don't know if these are the life you imagined for yourself, but I take pride in what I do. I would be the only contact you have in our organization until you prove yourself. You can tell people that I am a drake if you like, but nobody would believe you. They all think that I am mundane, a teacher and an interrogator, an old man who lacks ambition. As you prove yourself capable and trustworthy, more members of our organizations would be revealed to you.

In the meanwhile, nothing changes. You keep living in the casino and Valentina would keep asking you to do things. Once in a while, I'll need something from you as well and you get to study with me. Once a week we can have a few hours. I've been around for longer than you can imagine and can teach you plenty of things.

Though, the best I can teach you right now is how to behave in a secret society patronized by a great Dragon. You need to find total and complete loyalty to the cause and to me. Because if you let these doubts in you would make mistakes and then well... Lets just say that we are meant to be perfect and are held to standards that far exceed what is expected of mortals. Its means that our mistakes are punished more harshly aswell. "

For a while, the young drake didn't say anything. The threat of keeping her here for a century worried her. Not really about the fact that pretty much anyone she knew would be dead. With one possible exception, the only people she cared about were dead already. No one, not even a Great Dragon, could do anything about that. But staying there for a century? Hell, she'd be bat-shit crazy within a month.

Still, she scowled at what came after "You had my parents killed, you hunted me since then, and you wonder why I have trust issues?" She shook her head, obviously not thinking it made much sense. She paid very close attention to what came next, but it didn't take a genius to see that while she listened, and didn't reject straight away what was said to her, she didn't take it for granted either. Far from it actually.

At least fixing the city, that she could get behind. If the choice was between an unmarked tomb - if that - and staying in Seattle... Well, that was no choice at all. And if she had to stay, it may as well be in good conditions. She frowned when he told her no one would believe her if she claimed he was a drake. Maybe in general, but... If she showed she was a drake, surely some people would? Not that it mattered too much she supposed. She certainly had no intention of showing anyone what she truly was. Probably.

One thing she was sure however, was that she didn't want to meet anyone else from that organization. Considering how those people proposed to treat her, if she never saw them it would still probably be too soon. Finally, she said "You know, it would have been a terrible recruitment speech. In everything you've said, there are maybe, maybe one or two points that could make me want to know more. As for the rest, it comes down to the fact that I'm a slave, I'm expected to be happy about it, and will be killed if I so much as resent it."

Tony shrugged "About your parents, you can hate me if you prefer. I was not the one to kill them. I chose them to raise you, losing them was... a loss. There are many powers with conflicting interests regarding you, you hold the secrets of great dragons in your very existence. It was a bit shortsighted to expect the experiment to just work, and well it did not work as intended. We came pretty close to terminating you at several junctions in your life where we feared someone getting to close to stealing you away. At the end of the day, we followed through because you were talented and had enough brain to keep your secrets to yourself. For what its worth, I am glad that you are still alive. Let's talk about the past - when you are older. Some things you are too young to understand."


He snorted "A terrible recruitment speech? You'd expect me to know how to sugar coat it for you... Then again, you were here all by yourself for a whole week. I could have come when you were more receptive and less defiant. Still, you walked into this prison in your own volition. I did not have to force you. You chose to go so deep into this bunker knowing what it was and knowing what you were. At least part of you should have thought that things would not end as well... "

He paused and then added with a soft and tender voice "You are no slave Nyx, you are a child. You get little choice but few children get to choose. It takes a while for humans to trust a child to know what is best for her. Considering that some of your colleagues are around for several millennia, at what age would you expect to be treated as an adult? 20? 40? perhaps 100? maybe 1,000? Again, childhood and adulthood are a thing of perspective.

Now you are dangerous Nyx, and there are great expectations from you. You speak very well and can inspire and affect people to great extent despite your young age. Part of it because you were designed to be like that, but you advanced so quickly because you grew up among humans and the extreme experiences you had forced you to evolve. You had to do so to survive.

I am telling you things the way they are - or at least the way that I feel is appropriate given your age.
Think of yourself as a child, you get the simplistic version of some truth, others remain hidden for a while until you can cope with them. You get little choice, but the goal is to teach you to be more independent more reliable and trustworthy. Yes, we'll terminate you for what you consider innocent mistakes, but you are no more slave than I am - and I do not feel like a slave. Sure if I refuse to do my work, I'll be terminated just like you - I am too dangerous to keep alive if I go awol of the mission.

I do not feel like a slave. I influence people and inspire them to greatness. Look at my flower, Valentina I taught her everything she could take from me. See how strong, ruthless and talented she is, she was only twelve when we crossed paths. Nobody important - now she infiltrated the Finnigans and is known throughout the city for her political cunning and adaptivity.

Look at Minnie, how brilliantly seductive she is and so naive. She does not even know that she follows the great plan, she does so in her own emotional and Zen mannerism. I taught her how to seduce people like that, I taught her how to make love and control her body. She was a mere prostitude and I turned her into so much more than that -into a woman whose desires move people. Change the scales of power... She charmed Strawberry and gained her trust, facilitated this transition of power. Delivered an endless well of agricultural knowledge to our own grasp, and she thought that she betrayed us. She did not mean to be so valuable - and in a way, this is what makes her so brilliant. She is simply loyal to her desires.

I'll tell you that I care deeply about these two women and that over time I would care deeply about you. Perhaps much more because our relationship can be so much more open and satisfying. No, but you do not care about these things... You never formed the meaningful lifelong relationships. You are thinking how to get out of this 'slavery', you think that this crisis is just another one like many you had before. "

Lets play a game Nyx, tell me how you are going to get away from this. Tell me of your fantasy to be free, share what you truly desire out of life... What if I could just let you go and make sure that nobody bothered you ever again... where would you go what would you do?"

His eyes are bright and the aged man seems almost playful.

"What would I do?" Nyx scowled "I would live instead of survive. I would wake up in the morning knowing I'm safe. I would decide what I'm going to do for the day, without having to worry about being found and killed. I would do things for fun instead of by mere necessity. And when I go to bed at night, I would do so knowing I will wake up in the morning, and that I won't be assassinated - let's use the right word - because someone somewhere decided it was more convenient that way."

Tony stands up and approaches Nyx, "Come and seat on the bed. Close your eyes and tilt your head backward and then in a routine movement around. He takes a seat on the small bed and exemplifies the movement. His voice is confident and something about it promises some sort of release.

That sounded stupid to Nyx, and she almost said so. It might have been better than what she did say though "Ha, so the taming starts. Am I going to be killed if I don't do that?" She glared at Tony for a second, then sat heavily on the bed, as far from him as she could. She really didn't want to close her eyes, and that head movement seemed silly - not even mentioning she didn't see how it could held - but she couldn't defy him on that. She'd have to carefully chose her battles, and this one wasn't worth it. So she mostly closed her eyes and started doing the required movements.

Tony did not respond directly or did he. Instead, he demonstrated the exercise and allowed Nyx to follow through. "This is your safe place, nothing that happens in here can harm you. If you value your privacy, know that this is perhaps the only place where you cannot be monitored." His words felt comforting and carried some deep sense of calmness in them. "Now let's discuss your breathing. Take a slow deep breath, and then inhale. Deep breath and inhale..." He instructed and followed through with his own instructions.

Again, Nyx considered doing something else. She didn't believe at all there was no monitoring in the room. Not at all. If nothing else, how would he have known how she was doing in there? That no one else but him was monitoring, that she could believe, but no one at all, no way. But breathing didn't require much from her did it? For this at least it would be easier to just do it. That was probably the point: start easy, get her used to cooperate, and gradually increase the demands. But… What could she do about it? Nothing at the moment. Maybe nothing ever.

With a sigh, she started to breathe like she was told to.

He proceeds with what Nyx may identify as some form of Yoga, quite relaxing if she cooperates with it. Though nothing of the form of hidden dragon knowledge. Tony would not initiate conversation for about half an hour, until he demonstrated a certain set of positions, breathing exercises and other relaxation techniques.

Nyx cooperated. Grudgingly, disgusted she had no other choice - and hating whoever those other he had talked about were - but she did whatever movements he had her go through. She did so well enough to be able to do them again should he ask - lest she be "terminated" on the spot for slacking - but didn't really put her heart in them. That would not come for quite some time, if ever. Maybe if she were alone it would come easier, but it had just been made clear she would always be watched. That she had always been watched…

Once the lesson was over Tony said calmly "There is a lot you need to process, your world got turned upside down and you are volatile now and emotional. I admire that passion. Though I afraid that I cannot yet let you out just yet. Keep practicing, and I will show up tomorrow again. I hope that I can get you back to your day-to-day life very soon. Perhaps even later this week. Would you like that?"

While her first reaction had been less than civil, Nyx managed to not say whatever she wanted out loud at the price of heavily biting on her lips. She glared at Tony though "What do you think? Of course I want to get out of here. Don't treat me like I'm two years old. I may be young by your standards or those…fucking…others, but I'm not a child. My cognitive functions are as developed as yours. I might lack knowledge, but that doesn't make me stupid."

She stood up and walked away from the bed, clearly pissed.

Tony's face remained expressionless, but before he left he placed a small object on the bar. "That datachip contains the security key to the elevator. If you stay, do it because you value my opinion, not because of locked doors."

Nyx looked at the chip, then back at Tony "If I stay, it will be because I fear the execution squad waiting for me to try to exit before they're convinced I'm a nice and obedient little slave."

Pissed off, and a bit afraid she'd say something inappropriate - even more inappropriate - she left the room to the only place she could go at the moment: the bathroom. There, she sat on the toilet for a long time, her head in her hands. Finally, she didn't know after how long, she stood up and went to one of the interrogation rooms. She took the chair and very deliberately, she took it above her head...and smashed the table with it. She did it a second time, with a cry of frustration and anger to go with it. And after the second there was a third and who knew how many. Maybe Tony or anyone watching would be able to tell. She couldn't.

When she was done - sobbing uncontrollably in a corner - the room was trashed. While it certainly wasn't comparable to an orc much less a troll, she was stronger than she looked. Releasing that anger an frustration had taken its toll though: her hands were injured, there was dried blood on her chin and upper lip, to say nothing of her clothes' state or her hair. At some point the sobs stopped, and she stood up. She went to the bathroom, this time to take a shower, dropping her clothes on the way. She stayed under the water for a long time, long after it had run out of hot water and was instead pouring cold - really cold - water. She didn't really pay attention to it though. At some point, she stopped the water, dried herself quickly and went to bed.

In the morning - or whatever time it was when she woke up - she decided she had no other solution but to play along. To kill her emotions or desires of freedom, of independence. She'd have to play along, become the perfect little slave, learn as much as she could. And find a way to somehow get her freedom before she completely lost herself in the process, died and became what she only wanted to look like to them. She didn't think she had much chance to pull this of, especially if a Great Dragon was really in command. But that was the only option she had, wasn't it? At least, if she did become the happy slave she only wanted to pretend to be, she wouldn't care anymore.

She spent the next few hours cleaning up the mess she had made as best she could. Then, with nothing else to do, she started to practice the movements her jailer had shown her. If nothing else, it would numb her mind and she wouldn't think about any of that too much.

The movements help to somewhat calm Nyx emotions, despite the skepticism. It is a different sort of calmness - she breathes properly and calm her body and somehow that slightly change the mental state. However, no amount of Yoga can neutralize the anger and frustration of what she must be feeling at the moment. Tony arrives the next day, late morning carrying a large picnic basket containing two dishes of freshly cooked pasta as well as some apples and parmesan cheese.

He observes the damage to the interrogation room but does not seem pissed off or disappointed. "I see that you used your own, relaxation techniques." he picked up a small wood chip from the floor, almost hidden from sight. "You should be more careful about leaving your blood in places, but again this is your safe place. I will teach that to you in time as well."

He set up the food on the table and said "Finnigans always have quality Italian food. I hope that you are hungry. I assumed you'd appreciate something not made out of Soy." He looked directly at Nyx his eyes seemed to penetrate deep beyond her physique, perhaps assensing her (?). He asked in a soft and comforting voice "How are you feeling today Nyx? Was vandalism enough to calm down, or did you also practice the movements I showed you?"

Nyx glared at Tony, forgetting for a second her "good" resolution of playing along. Finally, she simply nodded "I did."