The Exhibit

[Psychedelic]

When he woke up, Victyr had a splitting headache. He couldn't remember what had happened, at least not the events immediately before his capture. But he was aware that he had been running from one of those blasted humans again, the ones that hunted his kind like dogs. Granted, he shouldn't have stayed in the city for as long as he had, but there was nothing he could do to change that now. He usually only stayed in one place for a month at most, but this time he had stayed for more than double that. Apparently, he had overstayed his welcome, and it had led him here.

The still relatively young drow stood from the pile of furs that had been placed down for him, wrinkling his nose up at the damp and cold smell that he was becoming increasingly aware of. He seemed to be in a dank sort of cave, a thankfully relatively spacious cavern that had the odd feature of a large and blaring overhead light that only served to contribute to his headache. He happened to notice that he had been provided with a modern toilet that was in an adjoining room...thank god they'd gone that far. It seemed the rest of the cell was styled in what these people thought one of his species might enjoy. Of course, the perspex glass that formed a paneled wall was definitely not his cup of tea, though to be fair none of it was. His people had once enjoyed cave life, but these days they were not barbarians.

"Oi!" the dark elf yelled out into the darkness, purple eyes scanning the darkened hallway, seeing that no one was there. Sometimes, having enhanced night vision really wasn't all it was cracked up to be. This realisation didn't keep him from thumping on the glass, demanding attention and an explanation. He wanted to know why he wasn't dead, what these people thought they were doing, and would they mind letting him free so he could eviscerate them?

 

[Sapphire]

He would be able to hear hushed whispering and almost...a whining of sorts. "Please papa, no I already caught him. Don't make me talk to him as well!" said a female voice, almost sounding like she was about to cry. "Just...go..talk..to..him!" a males voice said, sounding like he was struggling to get his daughter into the room. It wasn't long that he gave her a good shove, knocking her back onto the ground and quickly shutting the door behind him. "Please papa, can't someone else talk to him?!" she yelled as she was trying to open the door, but it seemed like he was either holding it shut, or it had been locked.

She had been lucky when catching the drow. She had been tracking him and had been doing really well. She had seemed almost pumped at first, though that was because she really didn't know what she was getting herself into. When she had caught him...or more like ran into him. It had scared her so bad that she let out a shrill shrike and had hit him in the head with a rather large stick. When she saw him go down, she had let out a small, shaky laugh. "I...I caught him." she had whispered to herself.

That was in the past now, and here she was going to have to face the drow by herself. The only thing keeping the two apart was a thin piece of glass. The girl had banged on the door for a few more minutes before gathering her courage and starting to walk the drows new 'home'. She slowly approached him, holding her head high and trying to appear that she had more confidants then she did. "I see you are awake...good." She stopped right in front of his cell, holding her arms behind her back as she looked at him. "As you can see, you can't get out." she said lightly knocking on the glass. "And I have no means of letting you go. For years our kind has been hunting your people. And it appears hardly any of you are alive anymore. Or you are all really good at hiding." she told him. "People would pay lots of money to see one of you up close...behind glass." she said again.

She kept looking at the glass as if to make sure that it was really there and that it wasn't going to break at any moment.

 

[Psychedelic]

He wasn't pleased to see the girl. How could he be, given the dark place he had been placed? He was torn between wanting to throw himself at the glass in a show of mad rage, or else shrinking back and sulking like a child that hasn't got his way. In the end, the dark elf went for what was probably the best option, beginning to pace up and down his rather large cell, all the while glaring at the awful human being that had done this to him. She was not what he had expected, as he was far more accustomed to seeing the rugged, well worn faces of the men and women that relished gthe hunt, and had done so for years. He had to admit, he was a little curious as to how on earth this girl had ended up as one of the many that threw themselves at danger like there was no tomorrow.

"You mean, you have no desire to let me go." Victyr retorted, glaring pointedly at the young woman as she so brazenly pretended it was beyond her power to free him, and not simply against her will to allow him to go free into the night. Maybe she was one of those women that looked all sweetness and light on the outside, and a poisonous viper on the inside. Yes, it had to be that. She was a woman that liked to lull her prey into a false sense of security before striking from seemingly nowhere. But she would not fool him. The drow had never been a trusting person anyway, but he felt that now was a good time to make a special effort not to allow this girl to get under his skin. Of course, this ought to be a relatively easy task, given that a hunter was hardly at the top of his list of types of people to befriend. If anything, she was well up on his list of those to be slaughtered, although for the time being it had remained as something of an imaginary list. For a drow, Victyr really wasn't all that violent.

He was astonished when she mentioned the idea that they were going to use him for profit, and as such he finally stood still, standing almost pressed to the glass as he glared at the woman. "You mean to treat me like an animal? I did not know even your kind could sink so low." Truly, such an undignified fate was more abhorrent to him than death, and he made no bones of this fact. "You know that keeping me alive is a huge risk? My people may come for me, or I may escape." This first was an outright lie, but this girl did not seem the type to know the ins and outs of the cutthroat culture he came from. She was barely out of pigtails, so he sincerely doubted her knowledge base.

 

[Sapphire]

She looked at him and flinched ever so slightly when he glared at her, and she had a visible shake ran though her before she held her ground once more. "It's not really my desire to let you go, as it is the desire of my farther and others." she said playing with her fingers as she stood there. She seemed to flinch even more when he told her that she was treating him no better then an animal. "Don't think of it like that." she said softly. "I mean...if you want we can update your cave a bit." she whispered. "Well I really should call it a cave, your new home perhaps." she suggested as she looked at the strange creature. Taking in his dark sink and his eyes as well. She seemed to be studying everything about him, and kept a small distance from the glass. That didn't last too long though as she started to approach closer to it.

She lightly poked it, before looking up at the drow and giving a sad smile as he told her that others would come from him. Slowly she shook her head. "I don't know what others you are talking about." she whispered. "From what I read your kind is rather low too. Even lower to each other. Maybe that is something we all have in common. You Drow's and us humans. From what I understood is that other Drow's would kill family if that meant staying a live." she explained. "Which interest's me a bit more." she said. "You were caught when you were stealing a beer." She gave a job and covered her mouth, looking up at him as if trying to see his head.

"Your head." she half whispered. "How is it feeling?" The ways he looked showed there was a lot of concern on her face. It was unusual for a human to show so much concern for something she had captured. "You haven't got sick, or woke up, and you aren't really dizzy right now are you?" She asked him.

 

[Psychedelic]

Just that little flinch was immensely satisfying. It was barely even a movement, but a prisoner had to take their kicks where they were available, and it was probable that this was about all that he'd get for some time. Boredom. That was what was going to kill him in the end. He had always doubted that this was even possible, but just the thought of sitting in here, alone and isolated from every part of the world, for weeks and months on end, he was sure his heart would just give up on the whole pointless endeavour of beating.

"Did you know that you're an idiot? Or have people always told you how good you are for trying your little socks off?" He asked with a snide, slightly malicious tone. Victyr could not understand how this girl could be saying such things. Maybe he could call it a home? Where on earth had she got that idea? Either she was genuinely that ridiculously optimistic, or else she was mocking him. He plumped for the latter, and as such responded with anger. "Updating this hellhole will do nothing, and you know it. This could be a plain concrete cell for all I care. I'm stuck here, and you did this to me." He continued to glower at the girl, his heart seething with a rage that he had not quite felt until today. "How dare you even think that I would allow you to do thhis without consequence. At least be honest with me, you've already destroyed everything, you might as well stop treating me like a moron." He turned away again, circling tightly in an effort to reduce his pent up anger.

He came back to the glass, briefly lunging at it in an effort to see if he could scare the uncharacteristically timid hunter. He then went on to refute her claims, "You know nothing of my kind. I know humans, and you have never sought to understand us, only destroy us for your own selfish reasons." He had no idea why they had hunted his kind and others like them, only that they had retaliated tenfold, perhaps only eescalating the problem in the end. "Never mind about my head, it doesn't matter, does it? Or if I say it hurts, do you let me go?" Maybe. The logic of humans was just that flawed.

 

[Sapphire]

An idiot?! She couldn't believe what she had just heard, her eyes went wide in surprise, though her face started to turn red as she begin to glare. She could of killed him....okay, maybe not, but if she wanted to she could! Yet again that was a lie as well. She had too much of a soft heart, though she was trying to make her father proud with doing the jobs that he wanted her too. And then one seemed to make him the proudest. He too had been a hunter, and he wanted someone to follow in his footsteps as well. The young girl didn't like it, but she was trained to do these things since she was a little girl. Though it seemed like she still didn't have a hang on it.

"Why don't you shut up!" she half yelled at him clutching her hands into fist. "You don't know anything, it's your own damn fault for being caught!" she told him. "If you weren't stealing beer then you most likely wouldn't be here right now. So don't take your stupid anger out on me because you like your boos too much!" she said hotly as she stood. "Yes I did do this to you...well it was more of an accident really." she muttered the last part. "But still at least I am trying to treat you with a shred of respect, if it was others instead of me, they wouldn't worry about anything for you!" she argued.

The young girl had flinched ever so slightly when he lunged at the glass, and soon she was stepping away from it once again. "What do you know about humans?" she asked as she stood there. "You treat them all as monsters. You are ignorant of our kind, just as we are of yours." she told him harshly. "And to your question about your head, no we wouldn't of let you go. Instead we would of gave something to ease the pain, or make sure there is no swelling." she said crossing her arms over her chest.

 

[Psychedelic]

He smirked at her outburst, truly enjoying the fact that he had so easily been able to get under her skin. He made a mental note to come back to this line of insult, in the hope that he could continue prodding her apparently raw nerve incessantly. Of course, this wasn't his only thought at the time, as he was also somewhat annoyed that she had the audacity to question his priorities. He was quick to defend himself, "Maybe I wouldn't have to steal everything I need or want if your race would just let me alone." He couldn't do anything out in the open, it all had to be covert, and even then he was in danger. His current position was testament to this fact.

The fact that she had accidentally caught him did not cause him to calm down, it only infuriated him further. It was one thing to be caught by a hardened, well equipped hunter, and another to be apprehended by a girl that seemed barely capable of looking him in the eye. It was all quite ridiculous, but he supposed there was nothing he could do about it now, and in a way she was actually right. Any other hunter really wouldn't have given him any semblance of decency, and as such he was lucky to be dealing with this rookie, someone he was sure he would be able to manipulate to his advantage in the end. He just had to be patient, and attempt to maintain his composure. No mean feat.

Unfortunately, she took this moment to comment on how apparently ignorant he and his brethren were. How she had the audacity do such a thing, he had no idea, but he rebuffed her rather swiftly, "Yes, my people do not know you well, bbut would you like to know why that is? It's because we have no interest in you." He glowered at her once again, struggling to remain calm as he spoke, "It was you animals that took it upon yourselves to attack us. We have only ever defended ourselves." Granted, they had come back rather hard on the human race, perhaps only making the situation worse, but all that was done now. There was no civilisation left to conquer, and the few that survived could hardly be considered a threat. "But, I suggest we talk about other things, like you. What's a little girl like you doing hunting big bad hellspawn like me? Excuse me for saying so, but you really don't seem the type."

 

[Sapphire]

When he questioned her about why she was hunting, she pressed her lips out in a thin line. She didn't seem to like the question, though she was appearing to give some thought to what she was about to tell him. "It...wasn't my choice." she told him as she stood there. Indeed it wasn't, her father had wanted someone to follow in his footsteps. To become the hunter like he was. It would be silly to say he was just 'good' at what he did. He was the best of the best. Everyone that wanted something hunted and brought back would come to him. Weather it be Vampire, demon, or maybe even fay, they could always count on him to bring it back.

"It doesn't matter though." she told him as she stood there. "I caught you, and that is good enough for now." she told him. The girl could understand that he hated her, it showed in every bit of his tone and body language. She would hate herself if she was in the same spot he was in right then. Though she wandered if that would disappear one day or not. But for now, there wasn't too much she could do with him. She knew for sure that if she were to let him out, he would most likely kill her and anyone else in the building. Then he would make his escape and all that tracking and good...well lucky timing would all of been a waste.

"Do...you want anything to eat or something?" she asked as she stood there. "As you can see we have no reason to trust you. So you won't be let out of there for a while. But we can still get you something to eat at least." she said as she stood there. "What ever you want I am sure we could get."

 

[Psychedelic]

Interesting. Victyr smirked a little as he considered the implications of what she had said, finding that he could probably turn this to his advantage. He ignored her question regarding food for now, instead focusing on her admission that she had not chosen this line of work for herself. It was an odd situation for her to be in, and he had certainly never heard of a reluctant hunter, but apparently they did exist. Of course, he first needed to find the reason for her unwillingness to participate in such a popular profession. He wondered if she was just too meek and mild, for she certainly seemed the type to be a push over. But then there may be some other reason, and he intended to fish this out as soon as he could.

"I'd like to know why you don't want to be a hunter. You do realise you could have it all, don't you? Money, fame, the ability to strike fear into the hearts of men..." He spoke with a dreamy quality to his voice, quite plainly mocking the poor girl that was only trying to do a job that had been asked of her. Unfortunately he held no sympathy for her, and was quite happy to continue in thhis somewhat childish way. Even if it had not been her idea to catch him, she had still done it, and now had the audacity to pretend she was a good and sweet little wall flower. He wasn't buying it.

Eventually he turned his back on her, leaning against the glass wall as he spoke curtly, "I have no intention of giving you what you want, so I suggest you give up." He still didn't know what she wanted, but he was not prepared to do anything to help hher or her organisation. He would starve himself to death if it really came to it, though if he had the opportunity to escape he would much prefer that option.

 

[Sapphire]

She looked at him like she was about to speak but closed her mouth again. She was slowly beginning to understand what he was getting at, and she was almost foolish enough to give out all the information that he wanted. Thinking about it, he could use this against her, and it wasn't a smart idea to give him more then he needed. "I...I have my reason's, that is all you need to know so there!" she told him. "I know you have no intention of giving us what we want. But yet you already are." she said a grin falling onto her young face.

"We needed to study at least one of you. To see how you act and what you can just do." she told him as she stood there. "Who knows, maybe once you calmed down enough, you can help us with finding more of your own kind." she said as she started to walk around in a small circle, before turning on her heel and stopping to look at him once again. "Who knows maybe we will train you to become a hunter as well. But with your attitude right now, we can don't any such things."

"You will just be stuck in that cell until you have calmed down, or maybe we will sell you off to the highest offer. There they could have you in their own for display for all their friends." she told him. Though there was a small frown playing at the edge of her lips. It didn't seem like the best idea to her, but that is how most things had worked around there, and that is how they have made their money so far. Treating creatures such at the Drow that they are nothing but mere animals, or pets that they could just give to who they please.

 

[Psychedelic]

His face fell when he mentioned that he had failed in his attempt to belligerently withhold any information they wanted, though of course he was quick to replace his expression with a more neutral one. He had not given much away, other than the fact that he was incredibly pissed off, something that was pretty much true of any person in this position of being trapped, regardless of race, colour or creed. But he would never give anything else away, no matter what tricks these hunters might try to get him to reveal all. He was stubborn, and he honestly felt that it would be better to die than to let these people study him like some lab rat.

"Just so you know, if you even think about trying to use me for such disgusting purposes, I will kill you myself." He didn't know that he would be able to succeed in this endeavour, but he felt it worth saying. He was quite happy to die trying, should they attempt to corner him into helping them search for others of his kind, or train him to hunt like they did. In a way he would prefer to be sold off to be gawked at by the masses, though of course he was still happy to fight tooth and nail for the sake of his freedom. Whatever the case, this girl was going to have some trouble with her captive if she intended to deal with him alone.

With nothing else to say, Victyr faced the girl one last time, stating simply, "I hope you rot in hell." It wasn't the most friendly thing he had ever said, but he felt it was justified, given the circumstances. With this done, the drow settled down to go to sleep in his silly little made up cave. He did not sleep well, and come morning he felt perhaps even less rested than he had done upon beginning his slumber, and he definitely felt more than a little hungry and thirsty now. Still, if they decided to withhold food from him until he did as they asked, they would find themselves disappointed.

 

[Sapphire]

Rose wasn't at all taken back when he told her that he would kill her, but a little more when he told her that he hoped she rotted in hell. With a slow nod of her head she started to make her way out of the area he was being held in. "Very well. I hope you have an okay night then." she said with a small shrug of her shoulders and soon could be head leaving the room all together. She was glad that the door she came in from was no longer behind held shut or that she was being locked in. Once she stepped out of the room and shut the door behind her, is when she felt her body really start to shake. Sighing, she leaned against the door and slid down it, trying to gather herself before she gave a report to her father. "I hate this job." she whispered as she pulled her knees close to her chest and placed her head behind her knees.

She sat there like that for a while before finally getting up once more and taking off upstairs once again. Little did the Drow know that he was behind held right underneath their house. In the basement area, far enough to where if he yelled or banged or so on and so forth it would go unnoticed. She went to her fathers study and gave a review of everything that had been told and the spat between the two of them. When her job was done there, she was finally allowed to go to bed.

When morning arrived Rose was up bright and early for her physical training and then breakfast. Her dad instructed her to leave the Drow alone and not give him a single speck of food until he was ready to do as told. Though Rose really didn't have the heart to do that, so once her father left for his own job, she started to collect some things he might like. Grabbing fruits such as apples and grapes. Though she came to a stop when she did that. It wasn't like she was feeding an animal. He had to have gotten use to normal food as well. With that thought she started to grab a couple of poptarts and a bottle of water as well.

When he woke up, he would hear the door to his cell being opened, and someones light footsteps on the ground. Rose stopped just by his cave and started to place the food and drinks down. Trying not to wake him or disturb him in anyway. Once she was done she started to creep back to the door to leave him once again.

 

[Psychedelic]

He couldn't say that he had a good nights sleep, but he could definitely comment on his happiness to be back sleeping in cosy furs, after the years of keeping to the gutter. He had never been able to integrate into society, for obvious reasons, and had only ever experienced life on the periphery after the death of his civilisation. It was still a little strange to be back in what was far more traditional bedding for one of his kind, and the comfort of the furs was unfortunately negated by the hatred that the drow was feeling towards his god awful captors.

By the following morning, Victyr had a splitting headache, his limbs ached from all the tossing and turning, and to top it all off he felt less well rested than he had done the previous night. So, what was the point of spending all that time trying to relax, only to come out the other side feeling even worse than before? He supposed there was none, apart from escaping the boredom that would undoubtedly drive him insane in time. He wondered how long it would take for him to lose himself entirely, considering the implications of madness, and whether it would be better to allow himself to be taken by that tide, or else to end it all before that happened.

He was distracted from these thoughts as he came completely out of a light doze, exhaustedly rubbing at his purple eyes as he sat up and yawned. It was hardly a dignified thing, but he wasn't aware of the presence of the girl until he finally focused in on the girl that was currently in the process of leaving. "Honestly, you could at least wish me a good morning." He spoke with a snide smile. He obviously didn't mean these words, and had no intention of ever being kind to the girl, but he felt having the last word was damn important, if a little childish.

It was only then that he turned his attention to the little breakfast that had been prepared for him. He wrinkled his nose up as he reached for a pop tart, biting into it and immediately spitting it out. "Jesus christ, this stuff is poison." He grumbled, drinking a large glug of water to take the too sweet taste away. The fruit would do, but it certainly wasn't what he would have chosen. Drow were closer to carnivores than omnivores, and needed meat protein to survive, only eating outside this diet occasionally.