"So, what is it? Is it a boy, or a girl?" Rembrant, an expectant elven male asked his wife. Or rather, his pregnant wife! Oh how overjoyed was he!
"It's whatever I want it to be." Symphonia replied, obviously not sharing her husband's enthusiasm. She was excited to be a mother, yes, but only by the virtue that children were this cycle's status symbol. She'd go down to the Biosynth Arrangers tomorrow and decide on the fetus' gender then. Maybe a girl, since Ophelia Harmonia had a daughter, and there was nothing better then a good healthy bit of competition, and with a little extra coin, the Arrangers could ensure that her little girl was born a few marks prettier then Ophelia's little tramp.
The more she thought about it, the more a daughter made sense... and thus began Unique's story. Born of convenience as a status symbol, and arranged prior to birth to be a creature of beauty and elegance. Born into luxury in the elite dome of Aerie, born a symbol more then a daughter.
Aerie is home to the elite, the upper crust's upper crust. The Dome moved about on its own, traveling from place to place though if you were to ask Unique now, she'd say that it moves to ensure that someone is always living in its shadow. Perhaps that was the allure of Evernight. It never saw the outside, so it never cared about the high and mighty crystalline spires of Aerie's high church, or the decadent sprawl of wasted land devoted to pruned gardens and botanical walkways. Every other Dome had the downtrodden, the homeless, the wastes... Aerie seemed to export them, and shelter none but her own. Unique hated that Dome.
Ever since she was a child, she hated that Dome. She was taught how to walk proper, how to dress proper, how to do everything proper. She was mother's little trophy, and from her point of view, she'd be nothing but such. Elven lives are long, and to be part of a life you don't want makes it all the longer, and all the more painful. Though, she passed the time with the usual bouts of mischief and rebellion. Going where she wasn't supposed to go, being with who she wasn't supposed to be with. The elite of Aerie shouldn't willingly consort with the upper middle class, after all. Unique didn't see the world as her mother did. She didn't see it in terms of wealth and class, but rather how useful, or pleasant, a person could be. Rich or poor, human or otherwise, Unique saw them as people, not currency. Well, that's a lie. Sometimes, she saw people as currency, and it was during those times that Unique was actually thankful that mother spent a little extra coin at the Arrangers.
It was also those same Arrangers that mentioned to Symphonia that little Unique may be well suited for study at their academy. They promised not to teach her anything too dangerous, or too disfiguring, but also promised that the results could be pleasant, and that Ophilia's daughter couldn't afford the lessons. Unique was introduced to the Arrangers the next day, and while she never met them before in her life, the Arrangers knew Unique since before she was born.
When she learned of her mother's plan to marry her off to a wealthy senator's son to cement a political alliance, though, her patience had reached its end. Her days as an object for her mother to display and fawn over were growing to a close, and Symphonia didn't know how to react to change this sudden. Unique's life had been carefully planned, and controlled, and now that was crumbling down, and Symphonia could only watch as Unique turned her back on her family, apologized to the senator's son, and then left.
Some of her rebellious friends suggested she try the life in Evernight. No rules, no parents, do whatever you want. Sounded like her kind of place. She even met up with a few other 'Synths, like herself, though far more advanced. Without any overly protective mothers to watch over them, their study and evolution went unchecked. She was introduced to a gang of street morphs and 'synths, calling themselves Boutique. They weren't the strongest, or the meanest, but they
were the most elegant and the most connected... and they knew where Unique could get her hands on anything she needed to advance herself above and beyond what those 'Skin Jockeys' at the Arrangers could ever hope for, not to mention some tricks to help Unique protect herself. Within a few months, she was accepted by the leader of the gang, the ever elegant and oddly named 'Wizard D. Roth', and she was officially part of the gang. Wizard D. Roth introduced Unique to one of their best contacts and fronts, Madam Midnight Rose, who ran a brothel called 'Carousel'. Wizard explained that Boutique ran security and staffed the Carousel, and everyone split the profits.
This was a milestone for the elf, as she never really felt attached to anything before. Odd that it was a gang, odd that it was so far from home. Then she realized that Evernight was her home now. Aerie could fall from the sky for all she cared.
Unique has been part of Boutique, and thus Carousel, for at least a decade now. Midnight Rose is starting to show her age, but a few trips to the black alley medics every few years keeps it from really showing, while Wizard still looks the same as he did then. He looked human, but the man was anything but. She'd be eligible to be a Dancer soon, and have her own troop of Boutique... but one night, one fabulous night... she'd challenge Wizard himself to a Walk Off, and win or lose... it'd be a night to remember.
CAST:
Rembrandt -
Robert Downy Jr. (Seen here dancing with one of the Arrangers at a charity ball)
Symphonia -
Emma Stone Unique -
YayaWizard D. Roth -
David Bowie (as from
Labyrinth)
