Bindings

Elora smirked, stepping away from the older woman. She had tried to struggle- of course she had. She had opened her mouth to yell, had raised her arms to fight, and even with the nullification blocking Elora access to her emotions, it was so, so clear, the fear and revulsion that Null felt for her…

It hadn’t mattered, though. Null hadn’t been strong to begin with, even before the wound had weakened her. And right now, Elora was so much stronger than a normal human being. The pillow had smothered her, hadn’t been drawn away until Null had finally stopped struggling, passed out.

As Elora fitted the device around Null’s upper arm, for a brief moment she thought she saw something flicker in the blank, dark brown eyes- some sort of horror, of recognition. And it was true. The arm clamp was almost identical in design to the collar Null had been forced to wear for years, right down to the small, microscopic needles that punctured her skin as it was snapped into place, feeding in the drugs that would prevent Null from waking, however long she lay there. All that was different were the proportions, really, meant to fit the arm and not the neck, to pierce smaller blood vessels instead of main arteries.

She relished the look of suppressed anger, desperate fear on the woman’s face, as she was forcibly dragged into twilight. A pity that she couldn’t taste the emotions- they had to be positively delightful! But it was alright. There were so many others, in this household, just waiting to be tasted, to give her their emotions, their strength, their very life’s energy. Now that she had reached her final form, it was time for the final stage in the feeding process to begin.

Smirking, the tall, slender, beautiful woman turned away from Null, flicking blond curls over her shoulder as she walked away. Null could only watch, helplessly, as her eyes grew too heavy to hold open, pulling her into the undertow of suffocating sleep. It had happened again. She had sworn that she wouldn’t let this… happen again… wouldn’t let… anyone else…

Supremely frustrated and angry at herself, Null faded, sinking back against the pillow.

~~~

“Tori? You’ve been in there for over a day now. Please come out.”

Tori didn’t open her eyes, relaxed into the lotus position. “You know I can’t do that, Aden. I still can’t control it. If I can just…”

Aden slumped against the door from the other side, worried. “The others… They’re eating dinner. You want dinner. Right?”

Tori exhaled, inhaled, trying to focus. “I have food supplies in here. They’re not the best, but I’ll make it. You should go eat with the others.”

Aden frowned miserably, not moving right away. He realized he was only getting in the way, and worried that he was annoying her. She wouldn’t be able to focus, with him talking to her- he knew that. But just knowing that she was alone in there, in the dark aside from a few candles, with chains… heavy, metal chains…

…If, after everything, she still had to be tied up in there… Just what good had rescuing her from the Agents really done, anyways?

Crippled wings drooped in helplessness. It had been easy, before. Even if he was uncertain… useless… only a burden to the others… It seemed easy. Get Tori away from the Agents. Cure her of the brainwashing. That had been their objective. Now…

He couldn’t help her. He couldn’t help his ally at all…

So… helpless…

~~~

Konki frowned, holding one blade up to the light. It gleamed, flawlessly polished, and even she had to admit that it was in good condition. Its partner was the same way.

There wasn’t really any way to put it off now. She had finished working out. The chores were all done. Weapons polished. Showered, and clothes changed. As she glanced at the moon outside of her window, she realized that there really was nothing else for her to do. All that was left was to go to bed.

But… to go to bed, in this house…

She shivered. It shouldn’t have creeped her out, really, just because it was big and old, and held all kinds of secret things, and made those creaking noises every time the wind blew. Maybe it was just Null- supposedly an Agent now- being a few floors above her that worried her. Or the strange, evasive way Shan had been acting lately. Or Tori, chaining herself in the basement. Everyone was acting weird now.

Akaru! Akaru wasn’t acting strange. She would go check in on him, and make sure his wound was alright! That would occupy her for another half hour, at least! She turned towards the door, determined-

“Konki?”

She startled, then sighed. “Elora? You really shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.” When had the girl entered the room? She turned around, searching for her. Where…?

“I’m sorry. I was just lonely. I was wondering if you wanted to play.”

Konki frowned. “You’re my age. A little old to be playing, don’t you think?” Eyes glanced around. “Where are you?”

A giggle, from a slightly different location. “It’s not hide and seek if I tell you!”

Konki shook her head, sheathing her swords in one fluid motion. “I never said I was playing. And like I said, we’re too old for games! Come out, okay?”

Silence. Konki was about to call out again, when she caught a glimpse of a shadow moving, flaring out towards her out of the corner of her eye. She whirled around to meet it, opening her mouth-

“Nngh!”

The blond woman smiled cruelly as Konki stiffened, then slowly went slack in her arms. “Tag,” she said, her voice now deeper, more mature. “You’re it.”

As Konki’s eyes dulled, she was vaguely aware of the woman laughing, before all of her thoughts and senses dissolved into white noise.

((Dun-dun-dun! We're definitely gearing up for Halloween.

Post was going to be longer, but I've got to leave in about... *checks watch* Thirty minutes! Gotta pack, gotta pack.

If I have time, another update will follow from my hotel room, once we get done travelling. If not, definitely towards the end of the weekend. In the meantime, post comments and let me know what you think.))