A meeting with the Doctor.

Joek smiled at the girl and waved her onward toward her job. "Go on, we will be traveling tonight. You'll need your rest." The green haired man walked to his quarters, stripping down on his way, a group of women already running forward with rags to wash the blood from his body. He may be a thief king, but king, he was.

Only a few short hours later and Joek and a troupe were traveling down the roads, they were jumped by bandits.... twice... only to realize that they had just tried to commandeer the supplies of the one they worked for... awwwwwkwaaard.

Joek spent much of the ride in a caravan, writing up plans and even resting from time to time. He got out of the caravan only once during the journey, in order to speak to his men and get them to stop and feed the horses. Joek had a soft spot for animals, he never wanted them to suffer.

The City of Revera is extremely beautiful. On one side are the mountains and desert, the other, a lush sea of green and blue from the mountain's water. Just wonderful.

The caravan made their way into the city without much trouble, guards were easy to bribe around here. They set up camp in a nearby hotel.... which the managment was quickly removed and replaced with Joek's own... Hey, business is booming wherever he went!


Joek stepped into Karma's room not too long after the sun had set. "Hello... You ready to go? The good doctor and I have some discussing to do, and I'd love for him to meet you first. A sort of.... warming gift. You'll go first, scope the place out, woo him as you would... Any questions?"

Karma slept almost the entire time on the ride to Revera. There wasn't much else she could do on the trip. Eat, sleep, stare into the distance, sleep, read something, draw. She didn't like sleeping so much, it just made her feel even lazier. The smell of the countryside aroused her and she awoke with a smile, enjoying the scenery as they made their way into the city. The hotel was middle class, possibly upper middle. There was even a courtyard!

Karma was adjusting her eye makeup when Joek entered her room. Stage makeup was something she did all the time, so it was no effort for her to multitask and touch up. Brushing off the fallout of the green dyed, dry powder from her cheek, her eyes fluttered to rid the whites of any that fell in there too, "Woo him, huh?" She moved to a few different articles of clothing on the bed. A rather sexy ensemble of opalescent silk and jewels, a more modest gown, and a unique and costume-y set.

Wrapped in an opaque silk of her own, Karma pointed to the clothes, "Yeah...what do you want me to wear? Do you want me to lure him into a trap of some kind? When do you want me to come back?"

Joek put a hand on her shoulder as she sat there and gave it a slight pat. "I just need you to show him how a Genie truly works. I wouldn't have you do anything you are uncomfortable with... Just, need him to be in our court. He has something I want."

He looked over the clothes and tilted his head. "I don't know much about these things. Truly. I think I'll leave these choices up to you. Do me a favor though...


Make it one hell of a show."

With this, he waved a gloved hand, and exited the room.

She nodded but pouted her lip, "Just so long as he doesn't look at my insides." The thought psyched her out! Yicky, spooky doctor strapping her to a table and cutting her open. Examining her entrails, maybe picking apart her brain. But she couldn't let it have an ending like that...no...he'd sew her back up and revive her into some stitched up zombie. Then Joek wouldn't be her friend anymore because her brain would be messed up. That made her frown.

Karma smiled at his last order before he left and replied simply, "I know no other way."

She did wonder what the doctor had that he wanted though. Poisons? Medicine? They had those things back home, so why bother coming all the way out to Revera? She wasn't complaining, she loved the country, but the motives remained a mystery. No matter, she would find out soon enough but for now, she had to focus on the task at hand.

Studying the clothes, she thought for a minute. She didn't want to be trampy...or boring. She picked pieces from a few of the choices, layering them together. It was colorful, but slightly muted with a few throws of black. The layers were thin and light, and would allow her for ample movement. Either for her show of skills to the doctor or her flight from him. She had to be ready for anything.

After leaving her room and finding directions for the man of the hour, she found herself on a beautiful manor entrance. This guy wasn't rich. He was loaded. Karma's shoulders flexed as they worked to swing the door knockers loud enough to be heard.

Doctor Mercutio... the pride of Revera. The healer of all the country. Savior of kings and paupers, one of the most celebrated people alive. All titles... all meaningless really. Useful of course to keep the covers over the truth as people would enjoy, but well... we all know how placing a blanket on something doesn't make it go away.

The knocking on the door was sudden, and annoying. He made his way toward the door, wearing a nice thin white shirt and black pants, his hair slicked back in a small pony tail, flecks of grey mixed in the with the dark black of his hair. His face, while handsome, showed lines of his true age. His true wisdom.

The door opened only slightly, a pale blue eyes peeked at her from the cracked open door. A rustled voice came forward.

"Hello... What can I do for you?" The door opened fully, the doctor's eyes scanning her.

"Ahhh.... what lovely eyes you have..." She was not fully human, he could see that immediately, but what, brought her to his steps?

Karma stepped back a little when the door opened and looked at the the greeter. Was this...the doctor? He answered his own door? It had to be, most servants had to be dressed fancy or something. This guy was very casual. His comment on her eyes made her grin. The gold was already pretty striking, but coupled with the emerald green surrounding them, they were only more intense. She curtsied and answered, "Thank you, sir. You must be the Doctor? I have come to offer my services if you are interested." She didn't bother to apologize for how her words may have come off. If they made her sound like an escort, then it made him think about sex and that was a step in the right direction, right?

She did feel the need to clarify, to reduce the chances of him refusing her allowance to enter his home, "I am a Djinn! A genie. I know that my kind are hard to come by in the first place, and so learning about us is rare. I offer you the chance to...study me."

It was a good thing that she had clarified, a second more and the doc would have given her a kind smile, and politely told her his disinterest and closed the door. Women wanting his money was a real pestilence in his life. The home he was in was a gift for curing a king. It had no servants in it unless he was throwing a party. He most certainly was not doing so now. It was good that he didn't have them snooping throughout his house, it was... his work station as well as his home after all.

"A Djinn? Truly? Well do come in, come in. I see my rumor of wishing to learn of fascinating people has managed to spread! Excellent." The door opened fully to allow the young gold eyed woman into his home.

"My name is Doctor Mercutio. Might I ask for your name? A djinn in my house, what a delight." He smiled at her, almost hungrily. "Tell me... Do you have an object of legend? They say a Djinn is not born, but made. Lust for power creates a bond between the new Genie and a symbol of their fault. A lamp for the greedy perhaps, a torch for the adventurous. What is yours?"

His excitement at her offer pleased her. Things were working out so far! She followed him in and answered, "Lita. Karmelita. But people call me Lita for short. You are welcome to call me whatever you like Doctor Mercutio." Karma's name was not as famous as Joek's, but it would still be risky. Woah...flashback. So many times had she said that in the past. You can call me whatever you like.

Karma nodded and answered immediately, "Yes, I have a blade." She then stopped to think about what he said. Lust for power...the item holding some significant importance to the person. Karma threw knives in her acts long ago, but that was as deadly as she got. Why would her item be a blade...why was it? At the time, it should have been a torch, a piece of silk, maybe a piece of jewelry. Karma wasn't violent...until now. Was it a blade because somehow fate knew of what she would become? Or maybe those violent tendencies were there all along. Maybe it wasn't fate that stuck her in that jambiya. Maybe it was the unseen forces of the Djinn that saw past her facade and knew the darkness that lived inside her. Joek had her blade now.

That would go on a whole new tangent of symbolism, something she didn't have time to philosophize over at the moment. At least she would have something to occupy her mind on the way back home.

Karma spoke, "I was enslaved (she hated that word) for somewhere around 200 years. I was actually only freed relatively recently. I retained my most basic manipulative skills. My ultimate power was lost upon my freedom, though I would never take it back."

The Doctor walked slowly through his home, his hands behind his back as he studied her. Oh what a fine specimin she was. Perfectly human in every way, but the eyes. How beautiful those eyes were...

He stepped into the library, and motioned for her to have a seat. "Please, have a seat, I will get you a drink so that you can tell me more. Fascinating as you are." He smiled and stepped from the room, grabbing a small bottle from the cubboard and placing it in the glass with a large amount of wine. He returned with the drink, handing it forward for her to have.

"Now, what is it that a freed Djinn does?"

Karma took her seat across from him and waited for him to return. She eyed the wine carefully. Joek always warned her not to take drinks from people who were smart. She would at least hold it, but would not drink...just in case her suspicions were accurate.

On his next question, she looked up in thought, "I assume it'd different for everyone. I've never met another one like me. When I was freed I stayed where I was...with people I love and trust. And got excruciatingly drunk and engorged myself. As a genie, I didn't eat or drink...I was hungry and thirsty, but could never be satisfied unless my Master said so. So...I was freed...and did everything I wanted to." Karma may have been gluttonous upon her freedom, but one thing she didn't do was have sex. Emotional wounds were still too fresh for love. Her friendship with Joek was the closest she was with anyone.

All that talking distracted her mind and her hands brought the wine to her lips, sipping to moisten them. Her eyes widened and she held her breath in fear.

The Doctor nodded his head. "So the Genie body does not have needs, yet feels the urges." He tilted his head at her, his pale blue eyes starting into her gold ones.

"Tell me dear, how do you like your wine?" He smiled brightly, slowly walking over to his desk on the other side of the room and lighting the candle on it. The glow from the candle created an eerie shadow on the Doctor's face.

"I can never tell where I like this more... Here." He slid the candle toward the edge on the right. "or perhaps back over here." He grabbed the candle and smoothly pulled it back toward him. The movement of the light created a trail behind it, an almost dizzying effect.

"Go on Karma, you seem tired. Don't worry, you are safe here. Sleep."

Karma's sensation of feeling slipped rapidly. Her eyes tried to follow him to the best of her ability, as if to prove that his trick failed. Her fingers dropped the wine glass and it shattered. Two things...either he knew who she was. Or he didn't. She would have preferred the first option. At least then, there would be a chance for him to send a ransom to Joek and she could be rescued. But she had a feeling the second idea was the truth.

Her mouth fell open and her words slurred, like she was growing drunk very fast, "You...bastard..." Her arms flopped over the side of the chair and her body slumped back, slipping down and off onto the floor. Her eyes glared angrily up at him but she couldn't move. Stay awake. Stay the fuck awake.

Karma's breathing slowed and and her eyes fluttered until she squeezed them shut as they started to burn. She couldn't open them...and her mind just...stopped.

A few hours went by and by the time that Karma was awoken, the doctor was pushing a table with various tool on it down the hall. The walls were much dustier, the ground dirt. It seemed they had moved this conversation to the basement. Karma was completely strapped down in the chair, an IV dripping into her arm to keep her from being lucid enough to escape.

"The Djinn... Owns the ability of noncorporeal transportation once released. Despite earlier appearances, you are in fact not... the first I've met." The Doctor grinned at her and tapped her on the forehead a few times. "I must say that I wasn't going to have anything more but questions... but your eyes... they have me transfixed."

His smile brightened as he patted her hand. "I think you'll be pleased to know that you will be put to good use. I'll be able to study your body after you are dead, maybe even learn something that can be useful for the everyday. You'll always be remembered as well. I'll keep your eyes as an ever present memorial."

His hand glided over to the counter, picking up what looked to be a scoop that would be normally for cantaloupe. With a deep breath, he made his way to the chair, making it lean back. "Now darling, this operation can be a bit... messy. Try your best not to squirm too much. I'd hate to damage your beautiful eyes." His hand moved slowly toward her face the gag was tight around Karma's mouth.

Just as he was about to start his pressure, a loud knock came at the door. Doctor Mercutio stopped, brought up his hand and placed his tool down. "At this hour? Must be a guard... I'll send him on his way, you stay put now darling. Hour date will continue very soon." He smiled at her again before making his way up the stairs.

When Karma came to, she could only wish she were still asleep. The girl was still weak and felt very nauseous. Her head was swimming and her vision was even worse. Karma stared at the straps on her and eventually tasted the leather in her mouth. She was going to be cut up!! She knew it!

The Doctor started talking to her but it was difficult to focus on his words. Eyes...he kept talking about her eyes. The tool he picked up gave it away and she started struggling against the straps, whimpering and growling under the gag. "Stay away!" she tried to say, but instead it sounded more like "Ey eyey!"

The words turned to screams as he grew closer, which were very gurgly under the gag. Karma squeezed her eyes shut and started to cry until a knock came and he stopped. She didn't want to think it was Joek who was coming to her rescue...she was afraid to be wrong. No getting her hopes up. Why...what had done to her? If only she could be aware. She could run away. Karma fought against the straps, gnawed on the leather, attempted to "mist" away. Nothing worked and it only fatigued her more.

When the door opened, a gloved hand grabbed the edge and swung it open with ease. Doctor Mercutio took a few steps back and smiled at the new visitor. "It's quite rude to barge in at all hours of the night."

"Oh... I'm terribly soooorry. I was just in the neighborhood and a good friend of mine was scheduled to be here tonight. Perhaps you've seen her? Purple hair, gold eyed, bronze? Loud mouth?" The green haired man smiled a bright smile while he spoke.

"uh... No. No can't say that I've seen anyone like that. I'll be sure to let you know if I do of course." the pale blue looked into the dark ones of the other.

"Funny... I could have sworn that she said she was going to come see you. Perhaps... We could talk then?"

"Of course. Let me get you a drink, have a seat."
"Thank you. Good hospitality is just so hard to find these days!"

The doctor stepped into the kitchen, a sense of deja vu as he poured the drink that Karma had drank before.

He returned with the drink, Joek grabbing it happily and placing it down on the table in front.

"Not thirsty are we?"
"Not particularly yet, no."

The Doctor just smiled and sat on his desk. "Tell me how I can help you then."


Joek nodded his head and ran a gloved hand through his hair. "Well you see... I hate to be a bother, but I was told that you have been accepting strange creatures into your home. Even dangerous ones. I know because a few of your mercs actually work for me primarily."

The doctor didn't flinch, just stared at him.

"So... I was wondering if you've found anything. Perhaps something that could... I don't know... give life to the dead? Regenerate lost limbs perhaps? I know you picked up a certain symbiote as of late. A tar like substance from the lost city."

The doctor nodded his head his hands clasped on his lap. "Joek, isn't it?"

Joek raised his glass in salute. "Very observant doctor."

"You know they call you the green devil in Luxor. I'm honored you've found your way all the way out here."

Joek smiled and stood up. "Will you answer my question then?"

The Doctor took a step forward and raised his own glass. "Of course. Let's enjoy our drink and I'll loosen my tongue for you."

Joek raised his glass, took a step forward and without a single sound, threw the drink into the Doctor's face.

The Doc stumbled backward, feeling the drugs already pilfering his senses.

Joek leaned over him as he stumbled to the ground. "My my my... this will be fuuuuun."

The doctor only managed a single grunt of surprise before he knew no more.

Joek hopped his way down the stairs, seeing his cohort strapped down. "Well hello there little one. Appears someone's had a bit too much to drink this evening!" He laughed, taking the IV from her arm and helping her up. "Thanks to the Doctor's forgetting to clean up the wine from his carpet upstairs, I knew what he was up to. Good work on your part." He grinned and made his way up stairs. "Come now, we best get the good doctor back into his chair, he'll be awake soon. And I'd love a word with him. As would you I 'm sure."

Karma strained to hear the voices up the stairs. Considering the doctor hadn't returned as hastily as he promised, it must have been something important. She wanted to throw up so bad; the "stuff" in the IV must have been the cause. The sharp sound of a glass breaking came and it alerted her a bit more.

The sound of bounding feet made her cringe and she started to freak out a bit more. Then...an angel appeared. Well...devil. Her guardian devil. He even glowed a little bit. She let herself slump a bit as he started to undo her entrapment. When the gag was removed she managed to smile, "Yeah...totally meant...to do that." She rolled off the table and held onto the side, forcing herself to throw up onto the ground. She had to purge these fluids he had been pumping into her. Karma stumbled after Joek, trying to keep up with his energetic movements only to slam against a wall or another table, knocking stuff around like a bull in a china closet. His last few words made her grin with a wicked smile.

Karma followed after up the stairs, just a bit more drunkenly in appearance.

Joek had to place a gloved hand to his lips to suppress the laughter he wanted to send Karma's way. Her this out of it was rather funny to him. Hell, suffering was just humorous for him, so sue him.

He managed to sling the doc over his shoulder, and took his downstairs and strapped him to his own chair. With a great deal of glee, he sat himself on the desk down there and crossed one leg over the other, waiting for the doc to come to. His dose was much lesser than Karma, only a drop or two managed to enter his mouth. So it was only a few moments before the doctor was starting to stir in his chair.

"Well well well... Seems the devil has his tricks after all..." He stared calmly at his captives, still a bit groggy but somehow still more lucid than even the most sober of men.

Karma stopped halfway up the stairs to realize that Joek was bringing the Doctor DOWNstairs. She grumbled and pouted, struggling her way back down. The idea that the Doctor had to sit in that contraption. Not because of some poetic justice or anything. No...that was too cliche. Karma just liked the idea that he had to sit next to where she threw up. Gross.

Karma could slowly feel herself sobering up a bit and sat on her own stool, her angry face almost burning with hatred. He almost took her eyes. While she was awake!! He was insane. Yet there she was next to another madman. Two madmen...in the same room. They were different from one another though...obviously.

Perched on the stool, Karma remained quiet at this point. Whatever Joek had up his sleeve...it was going to be good.

"Welcome back Mercutio."


The voice seemed to fill the room, the green haired demon staring deep into the eyes of the now awake Doctor.

"Seems you have me at a disadvantage Mr. Joek..."
"My real name died with the rest of my past long ago Mercutio, but you knew that already. DIdn't you? You see, I know you've been keeping tabs on me and my Troupes, sending mercenaries to capture them, torturing them in order to get to me. I see everything Doctor. You'd do well to remember tha- Oh that's right. Bit late, isn't it."

Joek walked over to the chaiir and patted the Doctor's face, stepping behind him. "So... This is what we are going to do."

"Do eh? One of your games? Truth or dare with a tinge? Perhaps you'll do your famous 20 questions with me? Oh... I do love a rousing game of hide and seek." The doctor chuckled in his chair. chuckled at Joek.

The green haired man didn't seem too phased by it. "You really are observant aren't you? How did you manage to learn so much from me?"

The doctor turned to Karma, a smile still upon his face. "I knew who you were by the way dear. The second you arrived on my porch, I knew. I knew that nothing, but the most extreme would get the fox out of his hiding place though... I do hope you'll excuse my earlier rudeness. I'd hate for our business together to go sour so soon."

Joek frowned and crossed his arms. "Business? Shut up you stupid prick." He stepped forward again, pushing the doc's head back. "Tell me your secrets, or I'll cut them out of you."

The Doctor stared up at Joek, a curious smirk still placed upon his face.

"You have no secrets here boy...."

"I have plenty."

"I disagree..... Jace."


Joek stepped back as if he'd been stung, looking up with fearful eyes at Karma, "Karma.... Run.... Run now........... NOW!" He took another step forward, the doctor leaning forward from his chair, the restraints undone. "Never lock a man with his own chains.... he may know how to escape them." The Doctor smiled at Karma, an empty syringe gleaming in his hands as Joek fell face first upon the floor.

There was something about this whole situation that Karma was starting to dislike. The whole neither of them showing fear thing was probably doing it for her. She kept looking at Joek and the Doc, back and forth, hoping for some kind of expression from the victim. Why wasn't he worried? At all? And why was he laughing? Joek wasn't saying anything funny...anyone who knew who he was wouldn't laugh at him unless they were told to do so.

Their verbal exchange was too calm, making her sober up even quicker with fear--yet feel even sicker from the same motivation. Karma heard him say "Jace" and at first thought nothing of it. It only clicked when she saw Joek's reaction. Her breath held and she felt her heart beat inside her throat. Her eyes, though one would be unable to tell, dilated with panic as she stood quickly.

Joek was down and the Doc was loose, smiling at her. Finally...the smile of a madman scared her again. She felt almost normal. Karma looked at Joek and back to the Doctor. She didn't want to leave him, but if she got caught, he'd be so mad at her. She could run...she could run and come back and save him, just like he did for her. The girl gasped for air at last and backed up with a small trot. The slightly airborne motion let her land on the balls of her feet and allow her to bolt back up the stairs. Her vision was still woozy, but her body was being driven by adrenaline. Where should she go? Should she hide? The front door was too far away. Hiding in his own house would be stupid, he knew where everything was. A window...she needed a window. They would be on the first floor, and while the outside steps made it high, falling from that height would not hurt her.

Karma made it to the top of the basement staircase and slammed the door behind her, dragging a chair in front of it. It might make him stop for a second, but he'd be out and hunting her down in no time. The windows were a lovely painted glass, and therefore needed to be smashed. Karma grabbed an iron candlestick and slammed it against one of the windows. It shattered and she peered out...the drop was far, but not too far. In an attempt to throw him off, she ran to the another few windows rather far apart and smashed those, too. Hopefully he would choose to look out of the wrong one.

She jumped and dropped to the ground, rolling to keep from breaking anything. She slunk into the thick brush beneath the window and waited. If she ran for the woods now, he might get out of the basement to see her escaping in the small clearing. It was better to hide...

Joek felt his vision go dark, managed to slur out his words before feeling the coolness under the skin on his face. Everything so fuzzy.... so.... quiet....


The Doctor stood up lazily while the girl stumbled over herself. Poor little rabbit didn't expect her owner to fall so quickly. He smiled at her as she ran up the stairs. He hummed a little classical tune as he walked up the stairs, one hand tracing his fingers on the railing.

The song picked up in cadence as he walked his way up toward the skylight, his library. The door... Locked.... No.... Blocked. He smiled and twisted the knobs a few times, testing her reaction.

The sound of broken glass brought another chuckle from his chest. Oh the simplicities of a scared mind. So brutish, so... predictable. The sound of further smashing had him cock an eyebrow though. "ooohhh misdirection. A cut above I see."

He stepped out into the lawn a few moments later, taking in a deep breath of the night air. He continued to hum, standing there looking over the grounds.

His humming stopped and he placed his hands behind his back. "Tell me something Karma... Do you trust the ones who work for you? Do you trust those men who guard your secrets? Genie... Tortured for hundreds of years... Kings and Tyrants, wanting nothing more than you for your possessions? Your Power..... your pride? What makes any of the ones you are with any different hm? What makes you so sure that those men would be any better without their precious Joek.... They'll turn on you Karma... Just like every other man in your life. You've been freed, but all you know is servitude. Only know how to service others! Even Jace inside uses you. Places you as bait when he feels a whim. But follow his final order like a good girl Karma. Run... Run like you always will. Run into the arms of a new master. I pity you.... truly I do. But I have a pressing matter within I must attend to. I think I'll allow the guards that are arriving to force your choice on staying or leaving. Good evening Ms. Karma."

With this, he turned and stepped back into his home, torch light began to flicker from around the corner as scores of guards came pouring out from behind it.

Karma's breathing came to a sudden halt and she held it for a long time, listening to the man talk. She didn't want to listen to his manipulative words. Karma wasn't entirely stupid, she knew what he was and how charismatic people like him could be. He tricked her a few times already, she wasn't ready to fall for another. But she couldn't help it...she listened anyway.

Her lip twitched with frustration at his words. She wanted so badly to pop out of the little bushes and argue with him, to tell him how wrong he was. Obviously she didn't...partly because she wanted to live, and partly because she didn't know how to defend herself with her words.

Nuh-uh, you're lying, you don't know anything about them!

Or maybe,

Shut up! You're stupid!

Or even better,

Shut up, you know nothing about me!

Karma didn't really know much about herself though, so chances are, a doctor would know more anyway.

Her concentration was broken when she heard the clankity clank of guards nearing her location. The Doc had gone back inside his home...he wouldn't kill Joek, not yet at least. But she needed to do something. Anything! She would have no trouble escaping the tinmen that were coming around the corner, but she needed to have a plan soon. Karma took off at a run toward the trees and the guards gave chase. Her acrobatic skills allowed her to scurry up one of the bigger trees and spring from branch to branch, changing direction quickly like a little purple squirrel. Shrouded by thick leaves, the moonlight could not touch her and she sat in hiding once again, waiting for them to pass.

The Doc's words kept ringing in her brain though...she wasn't really like that...was she? She knew more than just servitude. She could leave anytime she wanted! She just...didn't feel like it. Joek wasn't like the others, he didn't beat her or yell at her or do any of the other horrible things she had been subjected to in the past. And the others, they liked her!

...Right?

The Doctor closed the door behind himself solemnly, humming his tune again, stepping down the stairs to where his captive awaited him. He smiled down at the man. The most illusive person in the country... and here he was gift wrapped. All because he wanted his name erased... soooo badly.

a few minutes went by and Joek awoke slowly, his lack of ability to move told him his plight.

"Good evening Jace"
"Don't... call me that."
"But it is your name isn't it?"
"No."
"It is."

Joek stayed silent, glaring at the Doctor.

"I must say, this is going to be fun."
"And I must say, I'll enjoy painting a canvas with your blood."
"Beautiful as that would be..."
"Satisfying is more like."
"So you enjoy killing?"
"I enjoy killing you."
"But you haven't done so yet."
"I've envisioned it."
"So you are a fortune teller?"
"No. I just have a remarkable Imagination."
"Oh I do agree with you on that."
"Do you?"
"I do."
"Well then. I suppose I have only one thing to say to you."
"Yes... What's that?"
"Imagine tomorrow. Imagine the sunrise. For you will not see it."

Karma waited in that tree for a long time. She had no idea how long, for she could not see the moon, but it was certainly long enough. During her wait, she drifted in and out of thought. She would think deeply, shake her head and mutter, "no", and then space out. The process repeated too many times to count.

A plan!

She needed a rescue plan. She didn't want to go to the inn for help from the others. She told herself it had nothing to do with what Doc said, but she wasn't sure if that were the complete truth. She didn't know who to trust anymore. Besides! She needed to be discreet. The Doc would likely need to sleep at some point, even if she had to wait till sunrise.

Her focus had returned to her and Karma started to head back to the manor. He would be expecting her. But would he be expecting a bunny? Well...figuratively yes, but literally, no. When the manor was in sight, she spotted a few figures of guards near the various entrances. She poofed into the little shadow bunny and hopped toward the wall where the cellar was near. She made it a sort of natural, zig zag, floppsy hop to avoid suspicion. One of the guards whispered, "Oh look! A bunny! It's small, my daughter wou--" the (what she assumed to be) Captain shushed him, "Quiet you, we need you focused. Leave the poor animal alone. If it's still around after we are granted leave, you can take it home."

If Karma had a face, she would be grimacing with confusion at that moment. What kinds of guards were these? Her little body disappeared into the brush once again and waited...again. She listened hard for anything. A door closing, latching, something! If she pressed her ear on the wall she could barely make out some slight murmuring of voices. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

"So what's the plan here exactly doc? Gonna cut me up and sell me to the black market? I know plenty of people who want a piece of me." Joek smiled in his chair, perfectly calm, not even the slightest of struggles.

Mercutio just shook his head and tapped him on the forehead. "You misunderstand me Mr Joek. I don't want you dead. I want to know your mind. I wish to know how you think!"

Joek smiled and tilted his head. "Are you sure doctor? Are you absolutely sure you want to know what I think of you?"

"See that right there! Absolute fearlessness in the face of death? Now why is that? A lack of human instinct? Loss of want of life? I mean you aren't natural."

"The only thing about me that's unnatural is my hair, and you can blame Karma for that."

"Oh... Kaaaarma. Yes the little genie girl. You know, every monster needs it's vice. Every creature needs something to keep them grounded usually. I heard a rather interesting story about a gorilla that managed to fall in love with a woman.

Is that what happened to you Joek? Are you in love with Karma."

Joek didn't flinch, didn't move a muscle. Instead he tilted his head back and looked down at the doctor.

"What Karma is to me is not important. It's what she is to you that is. Pity really. I would have loved to kill you myself."