One second, she's in the hospital, breaking up with Guerin. The next, she's in front of two doors. Picking one, she steps through to yet another antiseptic medical environment. And for several long, heartrending minutes, she thinks she's been caught. She thinks the blood tests have come up with something strange, some sign of what she is, even if in some small part. She fights at the attendants and, far too quickly for her to beg otherwise, she's sedated just enough for them to continue their work.

They talk and explain and quickly Maria realizes she's not in Roswell anymore.

By now, she's been back to her apartment in the Up, gotten changed, and gone along with the tour. Her mind is all a muddle, a confused haze as she tries to take in all the information being given to her as well as what she's taking away from it all. She sits on the train, watching people enter and exit, the way some are dragged by leashes, one kneeling the entire time before their Dominant.

Maria turns away with a look of disgust, resting her hand over her throat. It's mercifully free of that Submissive mark but she still feels like she's being slowly strangled.

She keeps to the Up. Partially because she's scared, yes, of course; not scared of the Down exactly but unsure of how to prepare herself for the entire city. She keeps to her apartment. But mostly that's because it's only been a few days and she still has very little in the way of an idea of what's going on. She understands what she's been told and she hates every part of it. She despises it. But finally, after two days of simply trying to find what she can on the network, she gives up and goes for a walk.

She hasn't got an umbrella, but she still has the plastic rain attire from her first day. It does what it needs to do, but at a certain point, walking through the park and trying to get some kind of comfort, she slips in a patch of mud and lands hard on her ass. It's not too bad but her hands are covered and she holds them out into the downpour to try and get the worst of the mess off.

She might be cursing to herself, just a little, as she sits there in the mud.

Enrolled in trials. Just what she wants. Maria's no stranger to the concept; she knows her history. Thankfully, while it's enforced, no one seems to be standing over her shoulder demanding that she takes the pills. She does pocket them though, just in case. She's a Dominant and has good housing but she doesn't have a job yet and she knows how far a buck goes.

Still, she doesn't trust them.

"Hey," she calls to someone else coming out of the clinic. She approaches with the bottle of pills in hand. "You're not thinking of taking these, are you?"

Maria does not have an umbrella, but she is quickly caring less and less. Not that she enjoys the effects of the rain, but the more often she gets affected, the more she knows how to control herself. Get herself home.

But it's someone else's unfortunate day when Maria spies two of the Bulldogs attempting to steal an umbrella. It's still in the hands of someone trying desperately to fight them off, but there are two Bulldogs and one other, and Maria cannot tell at first glance whether the single person is capable of defending themself or not.

Setting her jaw, Maria strides down the wide alleyway where they've cornered someone.

"You do not want to deal with me right now," she all but growls. One of the Bulldogs turns to her with a cocky smirk on his lips, the kind she just hates, and without breaking her stride Maria simply knees him in the groin. No questions, no hesitation.

Only now there's one problem: the other Bulldog.

un: wild-pony
And I thought living in Roswell was weird.

Okay let's get some things out in the open: My name is Maria, I am new, I am a Dominant, I hate this shit. I don't think I need to go into the reasons why, but if you want an itemized list, you're an idiot.

I need a job though. I don't do well with sitting around and I need cash, even with my designation. I own a bar back home, so if anyone is looking for a good bartender or manager, contact me.

I'm also a damn good psychic, so if you want to have your palm read for your future in this hell hole, maybe I can find your silver lining.

Thanks.

(( Testing, testing, 1 2 3. Maria's from the season 2 finale. Hit me up at evilsalmon or Evil Salmon#2308 if you want to hash out a different thread than what the starters here allow. ))