bakerstreet | I wanna be your dog

I wanna be your dog

>> premise

Hello, and welcome to The Care and Keeping of Your Pet! As you surely know, a pet is a big responsibility, and we're so glad you've decided to be a concientious master. A safe pet is a happy pet, and this handbook is certain to keep your precious lifelong friend as content as can be.

The history of the animal person is a long and difficult one, with their origins not being known even to this day. However, scientists believe that despite our common appearance - most animal people have humanoid forms except for the ears, tails, and sometimes teeth - we share no common ancestry, even if the ascent of this species corresponds with that of the homo sapien. We gained dominance over each breed thousands of years ago, beginning with the dog type, who have long been considered "man's best friend." Most breeds these days are docile and perfect for owners of any speed.

Of course, it is our duty as the superior species to take care of these animal creatures, and this is inherent in their genetic makeup. Everyone knows that an animal person, when matched with their correct human master, is loyal for life - a true "soulmate," if you will. Far be it for us to turn this away! Ever since the Great Domestication, these intelligent and loving animals have served us as friends, workmates, guardians, servants, and sexual companions and will for years to come. Despite recent hubbub from so-called "Pet People's Rights Activists," this way of life is wholesome and good. Scientific research shows that the natural desire of the pet person is to be owned and cared for by a human.

So, it's your first pet. What do you need to know?

As previously stated, pet people come in as many breeds as you can possibly think of. By far and away the most popular are the dog and cat types, but exotic birds and lizards have been gaining popularity among trendsetters from L.A. to Tokyo!
All pet types are best suited for certain jobs, and when hunting for one, it is best to search for a type that suits your needs best.
However, a "True Match" - when a pet person bonds with you and only you for the rest of their natural lives - comes naturally, and sometimes takes time before you can find the pet you will be able to give a forever home to.
According to all current research, pet people are completely sentient and like us in many ways. However, it is important to remember that they have many animalistic and feral characteristics. Do not be foolish and think that your pet is a person, despite the facts that many are clothed and may be allowed to read, write, and have "hobbies." Some traditional pet owners may eschew these frivolities, and that is within their right.
Pet people age more quickly than humans, at least physically, and many types have long lifespans. It is not uncommon for pets to be passed through the family. When getting your child their first pet, it's important to keep in mind that just because the pup is tiny now, a grown pet can be jumpy around a small child.
It is important to train a pet. Discipline will be necessary. This does not make you a bad owner. Failure to train early will result in a rebellious pet. Training is especially important if you want your pet to serve as a household servant.
Remember, your pet will be extremely protective of you, especially if you are Truly Bonded. It is best to socialize them early. A socialized pet is a perfect family pet.
These days, unowned and unbonded pet people are allowed to live as strays or "Frees" in certain designated areas. Some even hold "jobs." This is against their best interest, and owners who adopt these strays are to be rewarded. Still, the best place to get pets are from liscenced kennels or breeders.
Some masters find it beneficial to participate in activities with their pets, such as shows and other competitions.
Finally, much has been made about the sexual relationship between pet and master. This is a normal facet of the bond, and humans are sure to find pet people sexually alluring. But beyond that, it is only responsible and prudent for owners to care for their pet's needs. It is a well-known fact that the libidos of pet people are remarkably strong, and when they go into heat, it is usually more convenient for a master to relieve them. There is no risk of pregnancy. All rumors of hybrids are urban legends.
Despite this, masters must remember to not view their pets as romantic partners. Humans should stay with humans.

With that said, thank you and welcome to your first day as a pet's master!

>> how to play

Needless to say, The Care and Keeping of Your Pet is a bit biased and full of propaganda, but it gives a good idea of the world your character is now AU's into. They are either a pet person or a human master, and what that means for them varies.

So are they a devoted pet or a rebellious animal person looking to buck the system? A generous master or a cruel sexual sadist? Just a normal pet owner? Most likely they're something in between, but when you're raised in this world, it's difficult to see anything different on the horizon.

Rules

Comment with your character and say whether they'd be a master or a pet. Ideally, they could be played as both. Mention what kind of each they'd be and what they'd be like, (ie: "Xx-chan is a bunny girl who is happy to please her master" or "Asterothia is a cat boy who is aloof but loyal to his true master"). For pets, be sure to include features ("wolf ears, tail, teeth).

REMEMBER, pet does not automatically equal submissive and master automatically equal dominant. This is not a BDSM setting though BDSM can be included. How far you want to go with the actual "pet" aspect is up to you, as well. Your pet could just be your slightly-furry roommate or soulmate!
Comment to others.
Play out the scene.

>> prompts

This by now means an all-inclusive list, but it should get you going in the right direction.

First Time Pet/Owner: Usually, pets are gotten at a young age; you're an old dog. Can you learn new tricks?
True Bond: What all masters and pets yearn for...the pet's loyalty and adoration for life.
Love: It's expected for masters to love their pets, but to love them? Romance is strictly forbidden.
Old "Couple": Master and pet have grown together and know each other. You know, know each other.
Loss of Master: The pet has lost their master, perhaps even their True Bond. Is it possible to move on?
Young Master/Older Pet: Pets age quicker than masters, so it's possible to end up with a bit of an "age" difference.
Family Pet: This pet's been raised as part of the family. What happens when their feelings for a family member get more than platonic.
For Your Protection: You don't want to be a master, but you have to take in a pet for their protection lest they be in danger from the general public.
Stray: You're a stray or a "Free." Can you live like this with your biology screaming for you to make a match?
Servant: You're more servant than pet.
All Sex, All the Time: The only purpose for this pet is to service the master, and not in a way that means cleaning their house.
Guard: You're a loyal bodyguard, a service pet. You'll do anything for your master. Anything.
Pet Play: This is for those who prefer to keep their animals on leashes, have them eat from bowls, and keep away from clothing.
Breaking In: Training is important with any pet.
In Love with Another Master...or Pet: To lust after another's master is no better than treason, and to wish to be with another pet just cruel!
Punishment: Bad dog, no nookie!
Heat: All pets go into heat, and it's the responsibility of the owner to take care of this problem. After all, unchecked dry humping kills thousands every year.
Breeding: Breeders know the best qualities in each type and mate the cream of the crop together to continue lines. It's a hobby for some, a calling for others.
Pregnancy: So, about that whole "hybrid" thing. It maaaay be more true than you think, even if pet/human pregnancies are the stuff of salacious tabloids.
Territorial: Hey, hey, other dog person! This is your apartment. Stay the fuck out!
Kennel: Kennels are where unadopted pets are kept. They're generally agreed to be depressing places. Why not volunteer at one, keeping the pets healthy and happy with the kind of affection only humans can show?
Rebelling Against the System: Damn the Man! Pet people are people, too! Just be careful not to get talk. You know what happens to bad pets.
Instant Attraction: You ever just look at someone and know they're the one? That they're...your master? But what if you've been trying to fight it? Well, don't try!
Dominant Pet: You might be the pet, but you call the shots, at least in the bedroom.
Pet Show: Everyone wants to show off how perfect their animal is. Look at that ass! And you'll never believe their special skills...
Therapeutic: Pets, especially those bred for their kindliness, are perfect therapy for those who've been through trauma and heartache.
Jealousy: Who's that around your master? Oh, hell no. They better not be touching them!
Petting: Pet people are absolutely gaga for being touched. Even the most steely ones turn to mush for rubs.
Games: Playing with your pet and giving them exercise is a key to happiness. Of course, with a pet person, you might want to use other toys instead of a ball.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

[The squealing is also a distraction, even if Jade is good at tuning out background noise. But at least he doesn't fall asleep and manges to get through a good chunk of the text, only looking up every so often at a particularly loud squeal.]

[Around the third time that happens, he quietly gets up and goes to fully close the door.]

[It's around that third time that Aslan has escaped the tub and attempts to charge out of the bathroom. Peony leaps out after him and tackles him to the tile floor, looking up through the crack when he sees Jade approach and grinning sheepishly.]

[The sheer ridiculousness of the situation - the Malkuth emperor in all his nude glory wrestling a rappig - gets a quiet chuckle out of him.]

Well, it seems like you're getting plenty of exercise.

[Exercise he probably needs if his somewhat large ass is any indication. Maybe there's a reason he wears that wrap around his hips. Peony doesn't really seem to have any shame at being seen naked though, and he just laughs.]

Most of them love bathtime, but I think Aslan's afraid of the water. It's always a chore to keep him in the tub.

Why not tie him down?

[His gaze sweeps over Peony's body quickly, clinical and detached, trying to see what he can learn about the emperor's lifestyle from simple observation.]

He'd be traumatized! The poor baby...

[Though he carries extra fat, Peony is actually very well muscled in a way that suggests he gets quite a bit of activity. It's not all just bulk, so he doesn't simply lift weights to maintain his physique. Jade would have time to get a pretty good look since the emperor's focus is on stilling the rappig. Once he subdues his pet he lifts it up and starts to trudge back toward the bathtub.]

He already looks quite traumatized.

[Jade files away all that information for later. Once Peony manages to get the rappig back into a state of relative calm, he finally looks away and goes to close the door like he had originally intended to.]

[Peony doesn't consider what he's doing now to be traumatizing - no, this is just a temper tantrum. One that he's defeated apparently, since there are no more complaints from the rappig. They both emerge from the bathroom after another fifteen minutes or so, Aslan looking sullen with his fur all fluffed up from the towel drying and Peony simply seeming sleepy. A meal and a hot bath are more than enough to make him want a nap, particularly on a day that he's declared as a day off from work.

At least he had the decency to put a robe on.]

Man, I'm tired now. I hope you take your own baths without a fight.

[Once they return, he looks up and closes his book, already wishing he had more time. Although even he has to admit that Peony and his rappig look almost endearing like this, in a silly sort of way.]

Oh? Are you intending to supervise me?

Only if you go skimping on the soap. Or if you want me to, I suppose.

[He really probably shouldn't flirt with Jade like he's a human, but comments like that just come naturally to Peony when he's relaxed. His day isn't really complete until he's made an inappropriate remark or two, anyway.]

[The flirting is unexpected, but it doesn't ruffle Jade. If anything, he's pleased to be learning about what Peony considers permissible. Not that he's intending to flirt back; the information is just useful to know.]

I'm sure I can manage without your guidance.

[Aslan is sniffing at him again, but this time Jade lets him, since the rappig is freshly cleaned. He does nudge his books away, however.]

Don't you have other matters to attend to? Or is it true that nobles can laze around all day?

I'm taking a day off!

[Apparently Jade's scent is agreeable to the rappig as he starts awkwardly trying to climb on the couch beside him. Peony strides on over and settles next to Jade, lifting Aslan and placing him away from Jade and the books but still on the couch next to him. He doesn't bother him about his research again just yet, but judging from the way his eyes flit down to look at the books he's thinking about it.]

Was that why you were wandering around the palace?

[The meal and the bath had given him enough time to formulate a reply if Peony does decide to ask about his research, but it's still not a topic he's keen to discuss, so he won't mention it unless he's asked.]

[In the meantime, he's more fixated on Peony's proximity, and the instincts that tell him to get closer and rub up against him. This constant barrage of urges is beginning to grate on him.]

Pretty much. I was thinking about sneaking out.

[He slings an arm up over the back of the couch, idly petting Aslan when he starts nudging forward. Apparently, the rappig is thinking the same thing as Jade.]

It gets so boring around here, I feel like I might go comatose or something.

[The rappig's movements are distracting for some reason. His ears angle back, and he shifts slightly closer to Peony, trying not to be too obvious about it.]

Sneak out? Aren't you allowed to go wherever you please?

Of course I'm not. I'm the last one of the family left, and they all died violently.

[He would be allowed to go where he pleases with an entourage, of course, but it's hardly the same. It's a lot more fun to interact with people who don't know who he is. When Jade shifts closer he drops his arms over his shoulders like they're old friends, winking.]

If I'm going to be treated like a child, I figure I might as well act like one. It's not such a terrible arrangement, really.

[If Peony's going to be so inviting of his own volition, then Jade doesn't see the need to stop himself from leaning back to rest against his shoulder, continuing to keep an eye on the rappig.]

[He doesn't really approve of Peony's attitude, but neither does he care enough to lecture him (especially when he must have heard about it a thousand times already).]

But surely you can't enjoy being treated like a child.

[It's odd; Peony should be the most powerful man in the Empire, and yet he's just as restricted as a pet is. Jade almost smiles at the irony, but stops himself.]

...no, I don't really. I don't think I'd be able to forgive myself if I abandoned this country, though.

[Even if he'd thought about it once. Thankfully, Nephry had brought him to his senses when he tried to get her to elope with him. With those memories in mind as he looks to Jade, he can't help but take note of the similarities in their appearance. It's almost eerie, really. Peony leans in a little closer, unaware that he's staring.]

[Already accustomed to Peony's oddness, Jade doesn't think much of the staring, although he does feel unsettled after a few seconds, unused to being the one being scrutinized. But he's also unwilling to voice his discomfort, so he carries on the conversation as if nothing is amiss.]

That would be quite a drastic move. But I'm afraid I don't understand. Is it normal for royalty to be so restricted?

[Maybe he shouldn't be getting involved with political business, but it's also difficult to stifle his curiosity.]

[He seems to realize what he's doing after another few seconds and looks just a little abashed.]

Ah - well, it depends on what's foretold in their Score, I suppose. I'm personally not a fan of the Score and I don't get readings, so that makes a lot of people nervous.

[And their reaction to that nervousness is to try overly hard to keep him safe. In Peony's opinion, trying to dodge those good intentions is less grating than having the Score read to find out what he should eat for dinner.]

[Sometimes he forgets how important the Score is to most people. But he's more curious about why Peony is so against the Score when it could jeopardize his position, considering how highly it's valued by the populace and by Daath.]

That's quite a dangerous attitude for the Malkuth Emperor to hold.

Edited (typo and rephrasing) 2014-02-07 15:06 (UTC)

Maybe. I'd honestly rather chance a fatal accident than just follow the planet's memory of what I should do, though. That's not living at all, it's just following directions. What's the point of that?

[If he had his way, he'd be rid of the whole thing. Unfortunately, it does give quite a few people comfort to be told what to do. It would be more upheaval than it's worth.]

Most people are quite fond of living, even if it means giving up some freedoms.

[Which is probably what differentiates him from Peony. It's simply easier this way, more convenient. While he doesn't have any interest in getting his Score read, he can understand its appeal.]

But if that's the way you prefer it - [and there's a barely-concealed sigh in his tone] - I suppose I'll have to join the rest of your guards in attempting to keep you safe. Would having a personal bodyguard give you more freedom?

[He's beginning to understand why everyone is so keen to keep Peony inside the palace. But at the same time, he'd rather Peony have more freedom of movement, which would afford him that same freedom by extension.]

Why, are you volunteering?

[The talk about registering him as a guard cat had mostly been to give him a little freedom. Peony doesn't particularly want a babysitter, even if he probably does need one. Having a friend who just happens to be proficient in combat tagging along with him, however, would be more than welcome.]

[Having to tag along after Peony everywhere would probably be exhausting, but Jade is also quick to realize that it would allow him to go places and learn things he otherwise would never have the opportunity to do so.]

[That, and the thought of Peony being in danger makes something in him twist.]

As charming as the life of a pampered pet is, I'm afraid I'll quickly grow bored if I have nothing to do.

[There's his research, but he doesn't mind sacrificing a few hours to dedicate himself to another task. There will still be time for it. After all, Peony wouldn't require guarding all the time, would he...?]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject