Of Predators and Prey

[BlackAkuma]

Late, late, late. Asp hated being late.

It might have seemed like a silly thing to most, being so strict about her bellydancing business, wanting to make sure her clients were taken care of when her main job as a wrestler was already more than adequate in taking care of her bills and expenses. She could’ve been lax about things. She could afford to let things fall by the wayside.

She could’ve afforded to do a great many things, but she refused to, because Asp did have some pride in her work. While she might have come off as a carefree individual to many, and she was in a lot of respect, she took her jobs seriously and wanted to spread her craft to all those willing to learn. She had never been late to a class and never had to reschedule, taking great pains to perfect her scheduling. It had never done her wrong.

Until now. Until she invited Sophia over for a private session, wanting to get to know her better and share quality time with the woman. That had happened, it was a magical night…but she had gotten so caught up in things that she had to reschedule the afternoon session she had planned with a new client.

It was an inexcusable infraction, one that she was determined to remedy. So much so that she offered to save her client time by coming to her instead of the other way around, doing so at a time of her leisure, and even halving the cost of this session. Though, given the residence that she found herself standing in front of right now, perhaps that last measure wasn’t more of a token gesture.

As Asp came walking down the street, wearing her tight jeans, black cropped shirt, and her gym bag slung over shoulder, she found herself looking up at the mansion of her client. The first word that came to mind was ‘opulence’ - a large, imposing compound, bigger than any she had ever had the fortune of being close to, a far cry from the modest accommodations she had grown up in. A mansion in the truest sense, surrounded with a towering wall and a gate at the front entrance, along with all the modern trapping. The security cameras, the motion sensors, the satellite dishes.

It was all a little intimidating, if she were being honest. But she wasn’t about to back out, now.

With a sigh, she looked over to the setting sun, giving it one last glimpse before she turned to the front entrance. She could tell it was an electronic lock, and the intercom at the side was probably the only way to get in. It was hard to make out with the dusk setting in, but she could see several people working outside, all of them in matching outfits. Did this woman have servants?

Asp tabled the thought for now, and pressed the intercom’s button, hopefully speaking to someone on the other side. ”Hello?” She held down the button, hoping that was how it worked. ”Is anyone there? This is Aspasia El-Shenawy, I’ve come for Madam Renaud’s bellydancing lesson.”

[thesteedman]

"You will address the mistress of the house by her proper heirs and titles... Baroness Stephanie Renauld." A demanding female voice replied back over the crackling intercom.
"The Baroness is expecting you." The voice would add, before an electronic lock could be heard disengaging with a loud clank. Without even pushing against the steel bars, they began to open automatically, slowly swinging and opening wide to allow entrance. The comm would cut out abruptly, and Aspasia would find herself with clear entrance towards the mansion itself. She barely got a few steps within the entrance courtyard when she noticed a Maid beginning to approach. Asp no doubt was aware of the reputation of Stephanie Renauld, and all had seen the Maids she brought to the ring. They were always scantily clad and beautiful, wonders to behold but also tragic seeing them treated so badly and forced to don such revealing attires.

The Maids outside did not seem to be treated so, all in full outfits and well covered up... though it was not to say it was the same within the confines of the mansion. Likewise, the Maid that came to greet her was a pretty little black haired thing, somewhat gothic and well dressed.
"May I?" She spoke; offering to take Aspasia's bag for her, her voice was a little quieter than the one on the comm.
"I will escort you to the Baroness. My name is Tia. Please follow me at all times and do not wander into any rooms without permission. I will be your guide and servant for the day, so if you desire any drinks, beverages or refreshment, do not hesitate to request it from me and I shall see it done." Tia would describe, giving a formal bow. She would promptly move to take Asp's bag, before leading her into the Mansion.

It was not a common building to be found in Japan, no doubt built from scratch as despite the old design, it all looked pretty new. Maid's worked within the garden, sparing a glance towards Asp as she passed them by. When brought up the stairs and through the double doors with Tia in the lead, Asp was met with a wave of heat... who knows how much it cost to keep such a vast building in such warmth, but the hallway stretched on, with stairs on either side leading to an ornate balcony. It felt like the mansion was a palace rather then mere residence, as grand chandeliers hung from the ceiling, as well as ordinate and priceless pictures of France and noble looking men and women, along with rare artefacts on displays.

"Please do no touch anything..." Tia warned, leading Asp deeper into the mansion, through long corridors lined with rooms and working Maids. It was an absurd display of wealth, and Asp dared to even think how much all of this was worth and how much it was to maintain. Soon enough, Tia led Asp up a stairway, before opening up a room.
"The Baroness will be with you five minutes. If you require a change of clothing, this is a good room for it. The Baroness herself will collect you." Tia took a deep breath, before looking left and right, as if to see if there were any eyes or ears upon them.
"Be careful. You are very beautiful... Chances are she hasn't brought you here for a lesson. I will return with a drink for you." Tia whispered quietly. She spoke no more, giving Asp a stern look before she moved on, already feeling like she might be in trouble... it left Asp on her own to enter the room...

[BlackAkuma]

Asp wasn’t quite sure what she was expecting to come back out of that intercom, but she could say with certainty that it wasn’t that. ‘Mistress’, ‘master’, ‘sir’, ‘lady’, these were some of the titles that she was accustomed to hearing through her travels, but she couldn't recall anyone going by the name ‘Baroness’ before. It piqued more than a little interest, though she could’ve sworn she had heard it somewhere before in passing…

She had only begun to comb through her memory when the gate opened and she was allowed inside. She took a few tentative steps inside, unsure of what to think, when she saw the maids moving about their various tasks and things began to click. ‘Stephanie Renaud’ - yes, she was a wrestler with LAW, as well, and one with a somewhat worrying reputation. Though, to be fair, Asp couldn't say why that exactly was.While she did watch the show on occasion, she was a primarily hentai-focused wrestler, and as such most of her attention was on matches in that division. She and the Baroness had never crossed paths before, and it seemed unfair to judge the woman without personal experience.

She hadn't strayed far before a woman came along and took her bag, introducing herself promptly and politely. Asp returned her gesture with a bow of her own. ”A pleasure to meet you, Tia, and I appreciate your assistance. Though I will say, I am unused to being served.” In truth, it would be more accurate to say that she hated it. With her life on the road, she had grown accustomed to serving herself at all times, cooking and cleaning and doing whatever work needed to be done. The concept of asking
someone to do something and then having it done was so foreign to her, it was borderline unthinkable.

She wouldn’t comment on it further, however, as she went on into the bowels of the mansion, staying close to Tia as she took in the decadence surrounding her. The mansion teetered on the line of being a palace in all rights, teeming with treasures and trappings that she couldn't have hoped to afford, an embarrassment of riches everywhere she turned. It was all overwhelming, but at the same time, there was a supreme emptiness. So far as she could tell, the Baroness lived alone with her maids. How much space did one woman truly need?

It was a question that would bother her, but not one that she would bother verbalizing as she was brought to the room for her session. She had just started changing, when Tia gave her the quick aside, speaking those ominous words, though Asp wasn’t quite sure what the warning was about. What was she in danger of?

”I…thank you, but I am capable of defending myself. Do not worry.” She nodded towards Tia and began pulling her shirt off, letting it peel away from her taut body. ”And lemonade would be lovely, if you have any. With only a little sugar.”

Now that they had parted ways, Asp went about changing in full, stripping down and putting on her wrestling attire, one that would more than serve her purposes here, today. While she had other attire that would’ve been suitable for training, this would allow her the best degree of freedom, and she wasn’t of a mind to take risks today, wanting to deliver her client the best experience possible.

[thesteedman]

Tia could not help but pause for a moment as she watched Asp slowly slip her shirt from her marvel off a form, her back towards the Maid as she could not help but gawk at the splendid build of the lady before her. When Asp requested Lemonade with just a hint of sugar, the Maid serving her was finally able to shake out of her trance, before nodding. She managed to slip away, leaving Asp ample time with the company of herself. In that time, Asp was able to shed the rest of her casual clothing, before slipping into the familiar viridian clothing that made her Ring Attire and Belly Dancing Session outfit. As always, Asp was a sight to behold... even in casual clothing she was equally beautiful, but there was certainly something intoxicating about her glamorous appearance when flaunting her well defined form in her ensemble of choice.

It would not be long before someone would return to her... But it was not Tia the Maid this time. Instead it was another woman, one who was vastly taller than the Maid from before, and much more of a physical presence. Her skin was pale, her hair as black as pitch and long, stretching beyond her shoulders. She was clad in a black dress that barely concealed her rather broad and muscular form, hugging her figure. Her makeup was gothic, which matched her unusually whitish complexion. She was a beauty to behold for certain, and her appearance was quite similar to the woman Asp was scheduled to train in the art of dance in mere moments. Her eyes were a striking blue, too difficult not to notice as Asp was able to witness them gazing upon her and her entire form. This woman stood over Asp, a statuesque of a figure and powerful looking.

"Stephanie will be here in just a few more moments." The woman spoke quietly, her voice dripping with a potent French accent. There was something quite alluring about the sound of her voice, it held somewhat of a soothing edge but held a slightly deep edge. She spoke clear English but every word had an appeal in the manner in which she spoke, as if a conversation with her could relax the very soul. The tall dark haired beauty looked a little taken aback by the presence of Asp, who stood wearing her session/wrestling outfit, unable to take her eyes off the red haired marvel of a woman.
"I apologise... I do not believe we have met before." The woman would speak, slowly entering the room. She tried to appear as if she was not staring upon Asp but it was difficult to do witnessing such a specimen of a lady before her. It was not just Asp’s physical form and beauty, but her attire that the woman found captivating as well. Asp’s deep red hair matched her own exotic complexion, and her beautiful features were more than easy upon the eyes.

“You must forgive me for being so forward, but you are a remarkable looking woman.” She would add, her eyes visibly taking in the details of Asp from her outfit to the exposed parts of her magnificent form.
“May I ask what your business with the Baroness is?” The woman would soon ask, clearly she was deeply curious about the visitor.

[BlackAkuma]

Asp liked to think of herself as a humble woman, but she would be lying if she said she wasn’t well aware of the way she looked and the way that could have an effect on people around her. Many found her beautiful, and she gave them much to look at, not simply with her attire, but the way she moved. So practiced, so poised, that bits of her dance often snuck their way into her everyday movements, without her even thinking about it.

So, when she felt Tia’s eyes upon her, she wasn’t as bothered by it as most might’ve been, accustomed to having her form gazed over, and she didn’t mind it. The same could not be said, however, for the next woman that she encountered.

Asp had only begun her stretches, limbering up in her usual way, when another woman came into the room. She turned to the newcomer and opened her mouth to introduce herself, thinking that she was Stephanie herself, but found her mouth frozen before a single word could take form. It was hard to say why, but she knew right away that this was not the woman she came to see, but she was surely no maid, either. Powerfully built and imposing, she stood over Asp like a haunting silhouette come to life, as if she had stepped out of one of the oil paintings around the estate. The clothes she wore did little to enhance her figure, but they didn’t need to - there was no hiding a body with this sort of power, no way to conceal such a defined musculature.

In short, Asp found herself under the mesmerizing gaze of a living phantasm, and even for one such of herself, she found it more than a touch unsettling.The woman’s words did nothing to alleviate that, either. Quite the opposite, in fact. While Asp was no unused to gaining the eyes of those around, she could recall few who were so brazen as to admit their attraction out loud, without even exchanging names.

It took Asp a moment to truly register what the woman was saying, but she snapped to attention soon enough and straightened up to regain her composure. She took care to make her way to the opposite side of the room to fiddle with her bag, however, giving the widest berth possible. ”Ah, yes.” She coughed to clear her throat. ”My name is Aspasia El-Shenawy, and I am here as the Baroness’ dance instructor. Belly-dancing, specifically.”

Asp pulled out a pair of towels and took the time to fold them, using the action as a cover to conceal her midriff from the woman’s ravenous eyes. ”Your forwardness is forgiven, though you could share your own name to make up for it. I take it you are not in Ms. Renaud’s employ?”

[thesteedman]

"Aspasia El-Shenawy... It is a pleasure to meet you." The woman would whisper in her alluring French accent. She softly approached Asp, even as the Belly Dancer retreated to the far side of the room, making idle motions to distract that she was purposely staying away.
"You are correct, I am not under the employ of the Baroness. My name is Dominique Renaud, I am her younger sister." Doninique would finally identify herself, though it did little to quell the atmosphere that was quickly developing in the room as the larger woman continued to close the distance. She bit on her lower lip in a very subtle manner, her eyes continuing to drink in the very beautiful appearance of the woman before her. It almost felt like she would reach out for her, the raven haired Renaud within arms reach... when the door behind her could be heard creaking open.

"My apologies for my untimely arrival. I had another engagement to keep and it regrettably held my attention much longer than I desired." Another French accent would speak. Dominique would slowly turn and stand aside, revealing that the Baroness had entered the room. Given her smaller stature, it was hard to believe Stéphanie was the younger sister. Clad in a sports bra like top and gym shorts, the Baroness was no less defined then her younger sister, her body fine-tuned from a decade of conditioning and training. She was not as broad however, more slender and shorter. Her hair was bright like silver, her features a marvel to behold. The similarity was in the eyes of the two, both possessing a certain darkness about them, despite being bright in nature.
"Oh... Hello Dominique... Thank you for keeping our guest entertained. <Don't you have somewhere you need to be?>" Stéphanie would say the latter line in her native tongue, a dark smile upon her soft lips.

"Of course. Excuse me Aspasia. It was a pleasure to meet you." Dominique would declare, her eyes looking upon Asp longingly. After a brief moment she would turn and depart, with Stéphanie side stepping to allow her out of the room before closing it. Her smile softened slightly, her very demeanour shifting to a more pleasant one when her sister was gone. Clapping her hands together she began to walk upon the soft carpet towards her guest of honour.
"Greetings Aspasia... I finally have you to myself. Once again I am sorry for the delay. I know you must have a busy schedule. I am ready to begin whenever you are good to start." The Baroness would speak in a pleasant and welcoming manner. She glanced Asp up and down to see her in her famous attire and managed a beautiful smile.
"A very familiar and fitting look. I am jealous... I fear I do not have an outfit to match." The Baroness would giggle, keeping a soft smile.

[BlackAkuma]

Asp was beginning to grow quite aware of how small this room was and how much of it was covered by this new woman. While she didn’t know for a fact that she was a wrestler, she was willing to guess as much, and she would call it a safe wager. Even through her clothes, the power in her form was evident. A solid, sturdy form that she had only seen among the strongest in the heavyweight class, the kind of form that only came through years of rigorous, diligent, obsessive training.

And that form was growing closer. So much closer. Asp took another tentative step back, trying to make distance without seeming too rude, but ”Dominique.” Asp repeated the name worried her lip with the edge of her canine tooth, as she wracked her brain for a hint of familiarity. The Baroness had a sister? While she wasn’t overly familiar with the notorious woman, she found it odd that she hadn't heard of her sibling, yet. Perhaps she wasn’t a wrestler after all, or at least not one affiliated with LAW, notions that brought interesting questions along with them.

Questions that she didn’t have time to ask, as the door to the room opened once more. Asp expected Tia, but instead found the Baroness herself standing there, in all her glory. Though this was the first time she’d seen the woman in person, she recognized her straight away by description alone - a powerful figure, replete with muscle, with scarcely an ounce of fat that Asp could see. The woman knew it, too, putting her body on full display, with an outfit that looked like it was struggling to contain her rippling features. In another life, the woman could’ve been a professional bodybuilder.

The intrusion was well-timed, and while Asp did little to show her relief, she was glad when Dominique took her leave. ”<A please to meet you, as well.>” She nodded towards the younger Renaud as she left and spoke with the best French she could muster. While she wasn’t fluent in the language, she had spent time in the country before, and knew enough for pleasantries. ”<May our paths cross again, someday.>”

With the crowd reduced to company, Asp let herself return to ease, and she brought her focus back to the Baroness, sharing in her smile. ”It’s good to make your acquaintance, and once again, I must apologize for the rescheduling. Life intervened, you understand.” She opened her hand and waved towards the bag. ”You can proceed in what you’re wearing, if you wish, but I have a spare outfit in my bag that you may use. The choice is yours.”

[thesteedman]

"<You know my language? I am impressed. It was a good job I did not say anything untoward just a moment ago. It just shows that one can never be too careful with what they say.>" The Baroness would giggle in a soft and playful manner, once more speaking her native tongue once she discovered that Asp was somewhat fluent. The Baroness barely held back when she spoke, speaking at full tempo with her accent heavy. She would approach Asp in a carefree manner, wearing a pleasant smile upon her beautiful features, looking to shake hands with Asp now that the two were alone. Whilst there was no doubt a hidden power within the Baroness, her approach was altogether a much more welcome experience than the foreboding presence that her sister brought with her. Where Dominique had a look of dark intent, there seemed to be none such traits in the Baroness herself who welcomed Asp with more grace and respect.

Her eyes remained on Asps' own, at least not overtly taking in the red haired stunners exposed and captivating form. Clad in little more than her Belly Dancing outfit, it would be easy to take not of her exposed midriff or her legs or even any other finely formed feature Asp with gifted with. The Baroness eyes would light up when Asp would reveal within her bag some additional belly dancing outfits when Stéphanie revealed her despair of not possessing such an attire.
"Oooh... Merci!" The Baronses would exclaim, her smile growing as she began to softly and carefully rifle through the outfits of choice. Naturally, she gravitated towards a blue outfit, gasping in wonder as she would carefully lift it upwards and examine in. Of all the outfits, it was no doubt amongst the most revealing, but not overly so.

"I must wear this one..." The Baroness would whisper, speaking in English once more, looking longingly towards Asp as if looking for permission to do so. No doubt if it was granted, she would begin to slide the outfit on. It would no doubt take Asp off guard to see Baroness strip from her gym boyshorts, but luckily she wore some thin underwear below that still covered what it needed too. However, the same was not the case for her sports bra top, but the Baroness would at least turn so that she had her back towards Asp as she began to slip into the Belly Dancing outfit. It was a short process, before Stéphanie threw her silver hair back a little and turned to show off her look for her instructor.

[BlackAkuma]

Despite herself, Asp couldn't help but let her guard down by a few degrees as the Baroness spoke. Her chosen title suggested superiority and largesse, but as a first impression, she couldn't help but find the woman refreshingly affable and polite, a stark contrast to her dourer, drearer, darker sister. She was all smiles and warmth, with a welcoming tone that was far too uncommon among other wrestlers, in Asp’s short experience, going at lengths to make her feel welcomed. It helped that she didn’t seem overly taken by her appearance, instead managing to hold eye contact for extended periods of time. She would never begrudge anyone from looking at her form - she didn’t dress like this not to be gazed at - but it was good that she avoided the elongated staring that some fell into.

Even so, there was still a warning in the back of Asp’s mind, but it was growing into a more distant sound, a faint klaxon in the wind. This could be a safe place, if she let it be.

She looked on as the Baroness went through her outfits, rifling through them before she settled on a blue one. A wise choice, one with inlaid jewels and beads, and intricate, gold pattern woven along the fringes, a perfect complement to her silver hair. Asp was inclined to let her keep it, perhaps as a gift when this was done, though she wouldn’t make the final decision on that quite yet.

For now, though, it was all the Baroness’, and she nodded her approval. She was taken aback, only a little, when the woman choose to change in front of her. Not that Asp was any prude unaccustomed to changing clothes in the presence of other women, but in her experience, most shied away from such things. Then again, judging by the attire of the maids she’d come across, perhaps it was to be expected. Stephanie Renaud was, at the least, unbothered by the female form.

When Stephanie spun back around, Asp showed her approval with a quick clap and a smile. ”Excellent, quite fetching. You wear it well.” She moved to her side and went about putting her bag to the side, making sure they would have more than enough room to move. ”So, before we begin, I think it best to know more about each other. Tell me, what drives your interest in belly dancing?”

[thesteedman]

"Bien sûr.." The Baroness whispered with a sly smile in response to Asp's compliment. She gazed down upon her own marvel of a form, clad in the form fitting Belly Dancer's outfit she now donned. Her only regret was that there was no mirror to gaze upon so she could see exactly how she looked. She could not help but bite her lower lip however, approving of the look, whilst her eyes would trace towards Asp, seeing her within equally beautiful and equally revealing attire as her own. Dark thoughts certainly entered her mind, it was so easy and dare she say comfortable to slip her legs from the openings of her skirt... and it would take little to wrap them around the tantalising midriff of her tutor for the afternoon. As much as those dark thoughts lingered, the Baroness was in control. In truth, a small part of her found herself actually finding a growing intrigue in the activity.

"I have something of a reputation in the LAW, I am not sure if you have heard or not." The Baroness would speak with her alluring and soft voice, only complimented by her French accent. She began to shift her form, taking the roll of a high class model as she posed a little and tested the limitations of the outfit.
"I will admit, most of said reputation has probably been well earned on my part. I do have a fascination for the female form, in that I will never lie. Particularly, I do have great admiration for a well-kept core upon a woman. How could I not learn such an art as Belly Dancing, knowing it engages such an area and also trains it. It was hard to resist your offer when I first discovered your lessons, especially knowing how beautiful you are and how well tuned and refined your form is." The Baroness would openly confess with a sly smile, slowly turning to face Asp once again.

"Since we are getting to know each other... what drives your interest in Belly Dancing? What was it that inspired you to take up such an interesting form of art?" The Baroness would then whisper, her tone a little more sinister all of a sudden, yet there was no threat... just.. almost a dark intrigue. Slowly, the Baroness would approach Asp, taking a place by her in preparation for the lesson. There was a slow and sultry fashion in which the Baroness licked her lower lip, her movements methodical and her stance alluring on purpose.
"Whilst we are at it... who would you desire to see the most in such an attire taking part in a Belly Dancing session?" The Baroness added as an additional question, curious to find out the inner thinking of her mentor for the evening.