It's a balmy spring afternoon in the city of Santa Peralta, California. You've probably had a long journey, and the bus is stifling. Thankfully, when you disembark, there's a friendly, metallic face there to greet you.
You see a five foot tall copper robot, wearing a leather jacket, striped shirt, blue jeans, red Converse sneakers, and a pompadour wig. He is blocky and old fashioned looking, with circular eyes, a square jaw, and two-pronged pincers for hands. He extends his rubbery arms and speaks in a metallic, Joisey accent.
"Ey there, boss. You the new check in?"
You see a five foot tall copper robot, wearing a leather jacket, striped shirt, blue jeans, red Converse sneakers, and a pompadour wig. He is blocky and old fashioned looking, with circular eyes, a square jaw, and two-pronged pincers for hands. He extends his rubbery arms and speaks in a metallic, Joisey accent.
"Ey there, boss. You the new check in?"
Opening her eyes as the bus hissed to a stop, Charlotte found that she had drifted off along the journey. Yawning, she shook her head to clear the sleep-fog, and stood. Making her way to the doors, she stepped down, the relatively cooler air a welcome change from the too-hot interior of the bus. She wasn't sweaty, though - her body didn't adapt to heat that way. She just dehydrated faster than others would, being an aquatic being. She would need to get water soon, but the need was warded off by the sudden appearance of the metallic figure in front of her. Giving the apparently male figure a glance over, she took his hand, giving it a firm shake. "I presume that I am. This is Oddity Park, no?" She asked, glancing around for a moment.
"Yes it is, yes it is. Name is Axel. Axel Hutchinson. Handy man, bellhop, bus boy, all around helper. If you'll give me your bags, I'll show you to your room."
He gestures to the apartment complex. It's a large, imposing building. A strange, Art Deco style building with several glass domes at various levels the higher it goes, leading up to a stylized penthouse suite at the 20th floor. The building has metallic gargoyles jutting from the side. The eyes appear to follow you. You cannot tell if it is illusion or if they really are.
He gestures to the apartment complex. It's a large, imposing building. A strange, Art Deco style building with several glass domes at various levels the higher it goes, leading up to a stylized penthouse suite at the 20th floor. The building has metallic gargoyles jutting from the side. The eyes appear to follow you. You cannot tell if it is illusion or if they really are.
"Nice to meet you, Axel," the dragoness said. "I'm Charlotte Wave. Looking forward to spending some time here." Handing her duffel bag to the metal man, she adjusted her backpack, the second bag she figured that she could take on her own. It was fairly light, only containing the remnants of a light meal she had eaten on the way down. Looking up at the apartment building, she stared at the gargoyles for a moment, her own eyes narrowing for a moment. Shaking her head quickly, she looked back at Axel, following him if he had left for the unusual building.
Axel takes your bag and escorts you to the lobby. It's a wide, open area with chairs scattered about around a fireplace and a coffee table. The table includes a large, dusty tome titled "A Monster's History Of Santa Peralta". It also has a Keurig, K-Cups of various flavors, creamer, and several paper cups. The table sits in front of a fireplace. Hovering above the fireplace is a portrait of a thin, skeletal figure completely covered in coal black skin and thousands of sharp thorn-like appendages. He wears a crimson suit, golden shirt, and black bow tie. The plaque reads
"TIMOR CARBONARIUS
12TH DUKE OF TARTURUS, COMMANDER OF THE 10TH BRIGADE OF ARMAGEDDON, 18TH COUSIN TWICE REMOVED OF LUCIFER
YOUR FRIENDLY LANDLORD"
Axel hands you a stack of paperwork.
"Fill in your name, number, room requirements, and any special service requests such as room service, tank cleanings, extra electricity for lab equipment, you know, standard apartment stuff. If you have any questions, holler. Please, help yourself to the coffee table."
"TIMOR CARBONARIUS
12TH DUKE OF TARTURUS, COMMANDER OF THE 10TH BRIGADE OF ARMAGEDDON, 18TH COUSIN TWICE REMOVED OF LUCIFER
YOUR FRIENDLY LANDLORD"
Axel hands you a stack of paperwork.
"Fill in your name, number, room requirements, and any special service requests such as room service, tank cleanings, extra electricity for lab equipment, you know, standard apartment stuff. If you have any questions, holler. Please, help yourself to the coffee table."
Entering the lobby, Charlotte looks around, noting the portrait hanging above the hearth. Reading the plaque, a small shiver ran up her spine. Commander of the 10th brigade of Armageddon? Related to Lucifer? It certainly added to the creepiness of the place, but explained the gargoyles perched outside. "Friendly landlord, indeed," she muttered. Turning as she was given the stack of papers, she went over to the coffee table, filling in her information required from the page. She put down a request for a large tank of water, something that a six-foot dragon would be comfortable swimming in. She didn't need a bed, since she would most likely be sleeping inside the tank. She made sure to put down that the tank needed to be sealed and opened from both the inside and out. Apparently, that was counted as standard around here, but she accepted that it was normal. Who knew what other oddities she would find in her time here?
"Alrighty then," replies Axel. "Let me do some calculations..."
He reaches behind his back, and pulls a lever. You hear gears begin to wrench inside his head. Suddenly, his eyes begin to shine, and they project the image of three dollar signs. They blink in rapid succession, along with a wailing siren like that which accompanies a jackpot from a slot machine.
From his mouth comes a long slip of paper. Your bill. He tears it out and hands it to you.
"That'll be $1,800 a month. Do you want to set up auto payment from your credit or debit card, or would you like to personally pay the bill each month? If you can't afford that, we can see about moving you in with another aquatic occupant to split the cost, that is if you don't mind a roommate."
He reaches behind his back, and pulls a lever. You hear gears begin to wrench inside his head. Suddenly, his eyes begin to shine, and they project the image of three dollar signs. They blink in rapid succession, along with a wailing siren like that which accompanies a jackpot from a slot machine.
From his mouth comes a long slip of paper. Your bill. He tears it out and hands it to you.
"That'll be $1,800 a month. Do you want to set up auto payment from your credit or debit card, or would you like to personally pay the bill each month? If you can't afford that, we can see about moving you in with another aquatic occupant to split the cost, that is if you don't mind a roommate."
Listening to the robot's gears turn and grind, the scaled hybrid waited a moment before the paper spilled out of his mouth. $1,800 a month. She didn't expect it to be quite that high, but she figured that she could pay it one way or another. "I think I'll just set up an autopay," she replied. "If someone else comes around that is willing to share, I'd gladly take them in." If she had someone else to spend time with here, she could share the cost, and have a friend to come back to if she needed something.
"Okeydokey." repliex Axel. "Follow me to the elevator."
The elevator goes up to the 11th floor. When the doors open, you see that every room on this floor has a massive, bulky industrial door with a valve opening. He escorts you to your room, Room 1107. He turns the valve counter-clockwise until the door opens with a loud creak. He ushers you through, and you are standing in what appears to be an airlock. You stand before another, similar door, and you are able to see your room. It is completely submerged in water, complete with a sea sponge bed, a coral sofa, a treasure chest full of raw fish, and an Easter Island head with an open mouth, inside which rests a waterproof television set.
"We get local channels and basic cable. The TV can play Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and HBO, but you need your own accounts. If you ever need me or other staff, push the red button here in the airlock. This is where I get off. I gotta leave before you engage the airlock and enter the apartment. Water and I don't get along. Anything else you need?"
The elevator goes up to the 11th floor. When the doors open, you see that every room on this floor has a massive, bulky industrial door with a valve opening. He escorts you to your room, Room 1107. He turns the valve counter-clockwise until the door opens with a loud creak. He ushers you through, and you are standing in what appears to be an airlock. You stand before another, similar door, and you are able to see your room. It is completely submerged in water, complete with a sea sponge bed, a coral sofa, a treasure chest full of raw fish, and an Easter Island head with an open mouth, inside which rests a waterproof television set.
"We get local channels and basic cable. The TV can play Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and HBO, but you need your own accounts. If you ever need me or other staff, push the red button here in the airlock. This is where I get off. I gotta leave before you engage the airlock and enter the apartment. Water and I don't get along. Anything else you need?"
As the two ascended through the building, Charlotte's tail said her nervously behind her. She wasn't partial toward elevators, they gave her stomach a weird feeling. She was glad when they stopped, quickly following Axel out of the contraption.
Looking both ways down the hall, she made note that this was most likely the floor in which creatures like her stayed, due to the vault doors which probably held water back from flowing into the hallway. Walking after the robot, she waited while he unlocked the door, stepping inside what appeared to be a bulkhead.
As she glanced through the small window into the interior of the room, the dragoness's eyes widened. She certainly hadn't expected for the room to contain as many nice things as it did.
She looked to the red button, nodding as Axel said what it was for. "Thank you. I'll be sure to use it if I need anything." She thought for a moment before answering the question. "I don't think there's anything I need at the moment."
Looking both ways down the hall, she made note that this was most likely the floor in which creatures like her stayed, due to the vault doors which probably held water back from flowing into the hallway. Walking after the robot, she waited while he unlocked the door, stepping inside what appeared to be a bulkhead.
As she glanced through the small window into the interior of the room, the dragoness's eyes widened. She certainly hadn't expected for the room to contain as many nice things as it did.
She looked to the red button, nodding as Axel said what it was for. "Thank you. I'll be sure to use it if I need anything." She thought for a moment before answering the question. "I don't think there's anything I need at the moment."
"Well, if that's the case, I'll leave you to it."
He puts a coin inside a slot on his forehead. You hear whirring inside before music begins to emanate from him as if he were a jukebox. Elvis begins to sing.
"WELL IT'S ONE FOR THE MONEY
TWO FOR THE SHOW
THREE TO GET READY NOW
GO CAT GO
BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES"
"I'll be out cleaning if you need me."
Wheels eject from his feet and he skates away, spraying cleaning fluid down the walls of the hallway before the door to your room automatically shuts.
You now have the room to yourself, and it's Friday afternoon. You have nothing but time and a whole new neighborhood to spend it in.
He puts a coin inside a slot on his forehead. You hear whirring inside before music begins to emanate from him as if he were a jukebox. Elvis begins to sing.
"WELL IT'S ONE FOR THE MONEY
TWO FOR THE SHOW
THREE TO GET READY NOW
GO CAT GO
BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES"
"I'll be out cleaning if you need me."
Wheels eject from his feet and he skates away, spraying cleaning fluid down the walls of the hallway before the door to your room automatically shuts.
You now have the room to yourself, and it's Friday afternoon. You have nothing but time and a whole new neighborhood to spend it in.
Charlotte smiled as the music began to play, watching as the robot skated down the hall. It seemed that it was time for her to explore her room, and she turned to face the closed door, making sure that the other was sealed before opening it, letting water flood inside.
The feeling of the cool liquid on her scales was a much-welcomed feeling, soaking into her scales and rehydrating her. Pushing herself into the chamber, she swam around, gills opening up as her fins grew, her body quickly changing to suit her surroundings. This was luxury, as far as she was concerned. Much better than that mucky lakebed she had used in place of a bed all those years ago.
If she listened carefully, she could still hear Axel's music, although faintly, and she started drifting around her tank, as if she was dancing. Her bags would be fine where they were; they were completely waterproof, so there was no chance for the items inside to get wet. For now, she was content with drifting in her own current. She would probably explore later in the evening, after she had gotten her energy back.
The feeling of the cool liquid on her scales was a much-welcomed feeling, soaking into her scales and rehydrating her. Pushing herself into the chamber, she swam around, gills opening up as her fins grew, her body quickly changing to suit her surroundings. This was luxury, as far as she was concerned. Much better than that mucky lakebed she had used in place of a bed all those years ago.
If she listened carefully, she could still hear Axel's music, although faintly, and she started drifting around her tank, as if she was dancing. Her bags would be fine where they were; they were completely waterproof, so there was no chance for the items inside to get wet. For now, she was content with drifting in her own current. She would probably explore later in the evening, after she had gotten her energy back.
As you get adjusted in your new home, you find your rest disturbed about two hours later. You feel a very loud thud coming from the floor, followed by several hard hits to the floor of your tank. The sound rattles your tank, and reverberates through the water. It's disorienting and nauseating. You hear muffled curses, electrical tools, and some indistinguishable music.
Waking as the thuds resounded through her chamber, Charlotte growled, holding her head. What was that? Shaking her head quickly, she rose from the bed of soft sponge, her eyes narrowed as she swam towards the bulkhead, draining it and relieving herself of the reverberations the bangs had created. Waiting for her vision to clear, she pulled the water off her scales to pockets within her, drying them, and made an effort to open the vault door to the hall.
You walk out the door, enter the air lock, and the door closes behind you. As soon as the airlock is sealed, the door to the hallway opens.
You see three other people standing in the hallway looking furiously at the floor.
One is a 10 foot plesiosaur-like sea serpent, yellow scales with a long blue fin running down her back. She wears no clothing.
Another is a 5 foot tall mermaid, pink and orange with tentacles for hair. She wears a circular breathing apparatus around her neck and a blue dress that reaches to the intersection of her torso and tail.
The third appears to be a mix between the two, with a draconic face and horns, tentacle hair, and a semi humanoid shape. They wear a red leather trench coat, a tan linen shirt, black jeans, combat boots, and a necklace of shark's teeth.
"I'm gonna kill that man, I swear to god!" grumbles the mermaid in a generic American accent.
"Dearie, don't stress yourself!" replies the sea serpent in a thick Scottish accent. "We can handle this calmly and civilly."
"Uh, remember last time?" said the hybrid in a subtle mix between the two accents. "We asked him to quiet down, and he gave that speech about how nobody told Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein to quiet down. He's a mad scientist. We don't want to make him madder."
"We have plenty of mad scientists," scowls the mermaid. "None of them are as obnoxious as Dr. Eckstein! We're going to go down there and give him what for! I'll call the landlord if I have to!"
"Moms, please, let's just go inside." groans the hybrid.
You see three other people standing in the hallway looking furiously at the floor.
One is a 10 foot plesiosaur-like sea serpent, yellow scales with a long blue fin running down her back. She wears no clothing.
Another is a 5 foot tall mermaid, pink and orange with tentacles for hair. She wears a circular breathing apparatus around her neck and a blue dress that reaches to the intersection of her torso and tail.
The third appears to be a mix between the two, with a draconic face and horns, tentacle hair, and a semi humanoid shape. They wear a red leather trench coat, a tan linen shirt, black jeans, combat boots, and a necklace of shark's teeth.
"I'm gonna kill that man, I swear to god!" grumbles the mermaid in a generic American accent.
"Dearie, don't stress yourself!" replies the sea serpent in a thick Scottish accent. "We can handle this calmly and civilly."
"Uh, remember last time?" said the hybrid in a subtle mix between the two accents. "We asked him to quiet down, and he gave that speech about how nobody told Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein to quiet down. He's a mad scientist. We don't want to make him madder."
"We have plenty of mad scientists," scowls the mermaid. "None of them are as obnoxious as Dr. Eckstein! We're going to go down there and give him what for! I'll call the landlord if I have to!"
"Moms, please, let's just go inside." groans the hybrid.
Upon seeing the three in the hall, Charlotte stopped, tilting her head sightly as she caught the end of their conversation. Studying the three for a moment, she waited until they were done to speak. Her gills had fused together again, her fins shortening and the webbing between her digits retracting.
"Excuse me?" She said, somewhat quietly. "I apologize for interrupting, but... Are you three looking for your room?" Charlotte had dressed herself in a dark, skin-tight garment, similar to a wetsuit, but the material allowed much more water permeation.
"Excuse me?" She said, somewhat quietly. "I apologize for interrupting, but... Are you three looking for your room?" Charlotte had dressed herself in a dark, skin-tight garment, similar to a wetsuit, but the material allowed much more water permeation.
"Oh hello!" shouts the plesiosaur as a smile creeps across her very long face. "You must be our new next door neighbor!"
She extends her fin to shake. "I'm Morgane Macnamera. This is my wife, Jenny. This is our...um...child, Glenn."
"Mom, I'm 24," Glenn sighs. "Don't call me a child."
"I'm sorry, dearie." Morgane coos. "I mean, what do I call you now? You're not my daughter, you're not my son, is there a word for nonbinary kiddos?"
"Glenn is fine." they blush.
"You picked one hell of a time to move in," Jenny scowls. "The apartment below happens to be inhabited by one Dr. Joseph Eckstein. He's been working on some particularly noisy project and has no care for the people who live above him who feel EVERY! SINGLE! THING! REVERBERATING! THROUGH! THEIR! TANKS!"
"Dearie, you're shouting at our new neighbor!" cries Morgane. She sounds almost frightened at the prospect of offending you. "What's your name, bonny lass?"
She extends her fin to shake. "I'm Morgane Macnamera. This is my wife, Jenny. This is our...um...child, Glenn."
"Mom, I'm 24," Glenn sighs. "Don't call me a child."
"I'm sorry, dearie." Morgane coos. "I mean, what do I call you now? You're not my daughter, you're not my son, is there a word for nonbinary kiddos?"
"Glenn is fine." they blush.
"You picked one hell of a time to move in," Jenny scowls. "The apartment below happens to be inhabited by one Dr. Joseph Eckstein. He's been working on some particularly noisy project and has no care for the people who live above him who feel EVERY! SINGLE! THING! REVERBERATING! THROUGH! THEIR! TANKS!"
"Dearie, you're shouting at our new neighbor!" cries Morgane. She sounds almost frightened at the prospect of offending you. "What's your name, bonny lass?"
Nodding as a smile of her own spreads across her face, the dragoness reached out to take the offered fin, shaking it. Glancing between each of them as the three were introduced, she memorized the names, linking them to the faces so she wouldn't forget next time. She was slightly intimidated by the impressive size of the plesiosaur, the larger aquatic creature certainly imposing a powerful stature.
She looked to Jenny as she spoke, wincing slightly as she started to yell, each loud word causing her sensitive, fan-like ears to be pressed flat against her head. As the mermaid calmed, so did she, her tail nervously twitching for a moment.
"My... my name is Charlotte," she said, a hesitation present as she collected herself. "It's a pleasure to meet you all, though. Hopefully this Eckstein person calms down a little. Impacts like those do no good for any of us." She let out a nervous chuckle.
She looked to Jenny as she spoke, wincing slightly as she started to yell, each loud word causing her sensitive, fan-like ears to be pressed flat against her head. As the mermaid calmed, so did she, her tail nervously twitching for a moment.
"My... my name is Charlotte," she said, a hesitation present as she collected herself. "It's a pleasure to meet you all, though. Hopefully this Eckstein person calms down a little. Impacts like those do no good for any of us." She let out a nervous chuckle.
"Maybe you should talk to him." says Glenn. "You're a new face, maybe he'll be more inclined to be polite to you."
"Come now," replies Morgane. "She's just moved in and we're already asking her to fight our battles for us? Look, why don't we all get out of the house, get some fresh air, get that river water flowing through our gills?"
"I need a drink," groans Jenny. "Like, alcohol. I'm going to The Punch Bowl."
"Jenny, it's not even 5 o'clock!" scolds Morgane.
"It's 5 o'clock somewhere," Jenny shrugs. "Besides, mommy needs a margarita."
"I'm down for either one," says Glenn. "I'll go where you go, new girl. If you wanna confront Dr. Eckstein, I could go with you to provide moral support."
"Come now," replies Morgane. "She's just moved in and we're already asking her to fight our battles for us? Look, why don't we all get out of the house, get some fresh air, get that river water flowing through our gills?"
"I need a drink," groans Jenny. "Like, alcohol. I'm going to The Punch Bowl."
"Jenny, it's not even 5 o'clock!" scolds Morgane.
"It's 5 o'clock somewhere," Jenny shrugs. "Besides, mommy needs a margarita."
"I'm down for either one," says Glenn. "I'll go where you go, new girl. If you wanna confront Dr. Eckstein, I could go with you to provide moral support."
"No, no, it's fine, Mrs. Macnamera," she said, trying to be polite. They had just met, so she figured that formalities wouldn't be too much of a stretch. "I'm just as affected as you three are, and I'd like to play a part in quieting whoever's making the racket below us. Maybe Glenn and I could meet you at this Punch Bowl when we're finished?" She suggested. "It shouldn't take too long. Maybe afterwards we can get some fresh air? I'd like to get to know all of you a little more."
They seemed like nice people, even if Jenny's attitude was a little ramped up. It was probably due to the drive, and of course, the banging echoing through their tanks didn't help any.
They seemed like nice people, even if Jenny's attitude was a little ramped up. It was probably due to the drive, and of course, the banging echoing through their tanks didn't help any.