Ryella awoke to the feeling of a hard, metal floor underneath her. Surprisingly, she wasn't nearly as cold as before, and didn't feel any harsh wind on her. She slowly opened her eyes, finally seeing just where she was. She was inside a large, circular room, the walls and ceiling were metal, aside from the thick, glass windows lining one of the walls. Peering through the windows were Ardyn, the crimsin-eyed man she knew to be Nero, and an elderly man whose face looked to be half daemonized.

Ryella rose to her feet, snarling. She wiggled her hindquarters, and then lunged toward the glass. But she suddenly felt something tighten around her neck, yanking her back. She fell to the floor, coughing and gasping for air. She touched her throat, feeling a thick, metal collar. She looked down to see a chain trailing from her neck to an iron rod-like device that sat in the center of the room. She immediately began scratching, biting, and using brute strength to try and destroy or loosen it, but nothing seemed to work. It was as if the device and chain were dragon-proof.

A chuckle reverberated throughout the room, causing Ryella to stop. She growled toward the three on the other side of the glass. "I'm afraid all your efforts are in vain," Ardyn said, his voice echoing through what sounded like a loudspeaker. "Those were made to be unbreakable specifically for you."

Verstael grinned maniacally. "You have nothing to fear, my dear. I have no intention of harming you." Ardyn and Verstael exited the room, only to enter into Ryella's little prison. "When I was told I'd be getting a Guardian to work with, I immediately began creating a way to harness your power. With the necessary equipment, I'll be able to turn you into a powerful weapon for the empire...or for my own purposes."

The two stood just out of her reach as she swiped at them. Ardyn glanced to his own Guardian on the opposite side of the window. "Nero, restrain her, would you?"

With a smirk, Nero pulled a lever on the control panel in front of him. A strong current surged from the rod, through the chain, and into Ryella's body. She squealed and collapsed, feeling numb and paralyzed. While she was down, MT's entered the room, dragging metal, armor-like plating. Ryella didn't like the looks of them as they were brought into view. The main piece she didn't like was the mask. It was shaped much like her head, but a bit bigger, and it was made to look like the face of a magitek trooper, except with monstrous features instead of looking like a human. She watched as Verstael had it brought over to her. She tried to move, but found her attempts futile. She laid helplessly as the mask was fitted onto her face. It covered the top half of her face, and was buckled around the back of her head. Getting a bit of feeling back, the dragon squirmed wildly, her vision through the mask completely red.

"Now, now, don't fight it," Verstael urged. "Let it take control. Succumb to the power of the magitek."

Ryella's mind was slipping. It was almost the same experience as the first time she was mind-controlled. Was that...just a prototype before...? The Guardian fought as best she could, but ultimately couldn't resist. Her struggles ceased and her mind went blank.

"Now, arise!" the old man commanded. "Stand tall, and show us your magnificence!"

The dragon obediently stood up, flaring her wings. But for a brief moment, she regained her consciousness long enough to growl and thrash her head. But it swiftly passed, and she went straight back to being a slave in her own body. Ryella was slowly outfitted with the current magitek equipment created for her. Accompanying her helmet, she had metal claws over her feet and hands, the length of her tail was armored and covered in spikes, and the edges of her wings were plated for protection. With the remaining armor still in development, Ryella was left alone. She had no idea how long she laid there as she drifted in and out of consciousness. Hours? Days? She couldn't tell. Every time she regained control, it was only for a few moments. For some reason, the equipment couldn't sustain complete control over her, as if it was still being perfected.

Fortunately, she was taken care of. Food and water was brought to her frequently, and her new armor was cleaned and adjusted often. Verstael visited her a lot, testing how well she obeyed with the mind-controlling helmet. From her view though, she was trapped in darkness, unable to understand what was happening outside of her mind. Aside from the brief intervals where she broke through the mind-control, everything seemed hopeless. Could that really be it for her? Captured and controlled by the empire? What an end for the last Guardian of House Praesidio.

~~~~~

Prompto traversed through numerous identical halls and rooms. He'd woken up in this place Ardyn called the "First Magitek Production Facility". He constantly found his gaze fixated on the barcode on his wrist, where his wristband was absent. He was steadily learning more about the MT's...and himself. He was still trying to understand and comprehend the meaning behind the tattoo he'd had since birth, and apparently, all the MT's had them as well. He'd even found a research log that told of one of the cloned infants used in the magitek production that had been abducted by Lucians 20 years ago. As much as he didn't want to believe it, all the evidence was pointing to him being one of them.

His disheartening thoughts were interrupted when he entered a small, dim, research room. There were desks covered in papers, and control panels on the far wall under large, glass windows. The blond ducked down in case any soldiers were around. He crept around the desks and to the control panels. He carefully poked his head up to see inside, gasping at what he saw. Ryella was laying in there, chained and adorned with what looked like magitek armor.

"Ryella?!" the boy quietly cried.

He couldn't believe she was there. He thought she was with the others. Did she come looking for me? He darted out the nearby door and entered the large room with Ryella. He hurried over to her side, hoping she was okay since she wasn't moving at all.

"Ryella!" He sighed with relief when he realized she was breathing. "Come on, we have to get outta this place." He gave her neck a pat, but she didn't respond in any way. "Ryella...?"

Thinking maybe she was unconscious, he moved to the side of her head. He saw the way her helmet was buckled securely around the back of her head. He grabbed onto the thick leather, tugging on it to try and loosen it. The action caused the dragon to stir. The empty sockets of her mask suddenly glowed bright red. She turned to look at him, growling.

The blond fearfully backed away. "R-Ryella...? Hey, it's just me."

The white beast quieted, and the red glow of her eyes faded. She laid her head back down, as if going back to sleep. Prompto was unnerved. She was acting like a magitek trooper---dormant one moment, awake the next. It was terrible seeing her like that.

He approached her head again, clutching onto her fur. "Please...don't you recognize me? Ryella...can you...hear me?"

His tone was worried and pained. He felt so hurt. But his voice actually managed to reach her. Her mind cleared for a moment, and a single tear leaked from her eye. Prompto took notice, and suddenly found her to be whining at him.

He grinned, hugging the side of her face. "Ryella! It's okay, I'm here!"

He nearly burst into tears of joy. But in an instant, Ryella's masked eyes glowed again, and she snarled. She shook the boy off her and went back to lying there in a more dormant state again. As painful as it was, Prompto knew he had to keep moving. He wanted to help Ryella, but he couldn't seem to do anything at the moment.

"I'll come back for you..." he softly told her. "I promise."

After sadly staring at her for a few moments, he forced himself to turn and leave the room. Ryella was left in solitude once more. Her clouded, half-conscious mind couldn't even comprehend the sudden noises and flashing lights. In just a few rooms away, there had been a confrontation between Prompto and Verstael. Before long, someone burst into the room where Ryella was kept.

"There you are, freckles," the woman said. "Just as blondie had said." Aranea approached the beast, looking over her. "Damn, what are they doing to you?"

She went over to the thick straps holding on the helmet. Summoning her lance, she slashed through it with ease, causing the mask to slide right off and clatter to the floor. Ryella lifted her head, shaking off the effects of the mind-control. Her gaze landed on Aranea, and she instantly began whining out of joy.

The dragoon chuckled. "Glad to see you too, freckles. Now, whaddya say we get the hell outta here?" Ryella grumbled and barked in protest. "If you're worried about your little boyfriend, don't be. We're meeting him at a rendezvous point."

The door suddenly slid open, and in poured several magitek troopers. Ryella snarled and Aranea readied for a fight. But with one flick of her tail, the dragon easily slammed the MT's into the wall, taking them out. She then realized she still had armor on. Using her fangs, she ripped off the uncomfortable metal that had been fastened to her feet, wings, and tail. With the collar keeping the Guardian from leaving, Aranea crashed through the glass window to the control panel. She found a switch that caused the collar to come undone. It fell to the floor, and with it off, Ryella was free. She followed behind Aranea as she hurried out of the room. The dragon managed to squeeze through doors and halls, but was relieved to make it to an outdoor area.

The cold air filled her lungs, and the snow underfoot froze her hands and feet. "I've got a ride nearby," Aranea informed her. "Follow me."

The dragoon jumped high into the sky, above the facility. Ryella flew up after her, following her over some of the buildings. Aranea soon dove down next to a snowmobile, hopping on it. Ryella glided over her, trailing right behind her. "We need to find you some clothes so you can transform, freckles! You're kind of a big target like this!"

Ryella actually agreed. She needed to change back to human form if she wanted to hide, especially if Nero was still around. At the moment, all she really wanted to do was find Prompto. Aranea abruptly swerved off through some trees, causing Ryella to dodge around branches as she followed. Aranea suddenly came to a stop at an old shed. The Guardian landed beside her, gazing down at her questioningly.

"I've seen old supply sheds like this all over the place," the woman explained. "If we can find some clothes in one of them, then you'll be able to transform, right?" The dragon nodded. Aranea swiftly opened the door and went inside, rummaging through everything. "Found some."

She brought out several things. There were winter shirts, pants, coats, boots, and other small things. She laid them out for Ryella to pick what she wanted. She chose a winter-styled dress with thick, black tights and snow boots. Aranea got them and placed them inside the shed. Ryella then began transforming, having enough energy stored up from when she was still sharing energy with Noctis. As soon as she shrank down, she darted inside the shed and shut the door before the glow of her body had faded. With the cold temperature, she shivered, swiftly getting dressed.

(This is the outfit)

When she exited, Aranea smiled slightly, looking her over. "Not bad, kinda suits you. As long as it keeps you warm."

"Thank you so much for getting me this far." The brunette smiled brightly. "And you said we'd meet with Prompto somewhere?"

Aranea nodded. "At a campsite. It's a safe, secluded place to rest. Though when I ran into him, he seemed pretty down. Maybe he'll perk up with you around." She chuckled. "And he kept begging for me to find you too. He sure does care about you. Now c'mon."

Aranea got back onto the snowmobile. Ryella carefully climbed on behind her, clutching onto the woman's shoulders to hold on. Once ready, they both sped away. Ryella hadn't even noticed how late it was. The sun was already setting. Her hair whipped around in the cold wind, but she was too focused on finding Prompto to care. She had goosebumps all over from the low temperature, but she refused to let it get to her. They slowed to a halt upon reaching a small cave near a lake. They could already see the warm glow of a fire inside, which caused a bit of excitement to well up inside her. She couldn't wait to see Prompto.

Upon approaching the haven, they caught sight of Prompto sitting by the fire, frantically scratching at his wrist. "You think that's gonna do anything?" Aranea spoke up, earning his attention. "I brought someone along."

Ryella stepped into the light. The blond's eyes seemed to light up as a small grin tugged at his lips. "Ryella!"

"Prompto!" The girl hurried over to him, falling to her knees and wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug. A few tears of joy leaked from her eyes. "I'm so happy to see you! I...I heard your voice back there! I was afraid when you left me!"

"I-I'm sorry..." he mumbled, holding her tightly. "I'm so sorry, I should've stayed to help you."

"It's okay." She pulled back to show him a bright smile. "I wouldn't have wanted you to endanger yourself for me. Besides, Aranea came back for me."

The dragoon walked over and took a seat in front of the fire. "Don't sweat it. I kinda like having you around, freckles...er, Ryella." Silence fell over them briefly, and Prompto hung his head sadly. Ryella didn't know what was wrong, but she sat with him, holding his arm. "I ran into your buddies in Tenebrae," Aranea said, breaking the silence. "You've both got 'em worried sick. You gonna go see 'em or what?"

"I..." Ryella looked at Prompto, eager to hear what he had to say. "I can't." He paused briefly, staring into the flames. "I can't... I'm not like them. I was born here---in Niflheim. All this time and I've never told them. And that's not even the worst part. I wasn't born into a happy family. I was made---created in some laboratory. The entire reason I exist is to make Noct and all of them miserable. How could I possibly see them? They'd never accept the real me."

Aranea smiled. "You spent all that time driving around together and you still don't know what kinda guys they really are. In case you forgot, your princely pal and I weren't always on such friendly terms. But you know what? He put all that aside and asked me to make sure you were safe...that you were both safe."

Prompto didn't look up from the fire. "He did?"

Ryella smiled softly, hugging his arm. "And when I flew out to search for you, he gave me full approval." She giggled. "When he first told us what happened, he was in such a panic."

"Think he'd do all that for someone who 'makes him miserable'?" Aranea added.

After a moment, Prompto asked the woman, "Is everybody okay?"

"All things considered, I guess. Sounds like they've been through a lot since you left, but they're still dead set on getting to the capital."

"Hope they make it," the gunman muttered.

"They'd have a better shot with you two around."

"Did they say anything else about me?" Prompto hesitantly inquired.

Aranea hummed. "Not that I can recall."

Prompto gave the faintest of nods. "Right."

"His Highness was so worried about you he could barely speak, but don't worry---I whipped him into shape."

"So...he doesn't hate me after all."

Ryella snatched her boyfriend's shoulders, finally getting his attention. "Of course he doesn't hate you. He's your friend, Prompto. He cares about you." Prompto's expression showed nothing but misery and confusion, even with his girlfriend's encouraging words.

Aranea stood. "Look---I can tell you want to get back together with them. So why not let them know?"

She started to leave when Prompto spoke, "You think they'd let me back? After all this?" The dragoon paused, looking back at him while Ryella quietly listened at his side. "And even if they did let me back, I'd probably cause them nothing but trouble. I don't know how I could live with myself..."

Aranea gave a frustrated groan and marched back toward him. "Because you're doing such a great job of living with yourself now." Ryella quickly scooted away as the woman kicked him down onto his back and crouched over him. "What do you want then? You worry so much about what other people want from you that you don't even know what you want anymore! Your life isn't yours to live!" She grabbed the sides of his head as he stared up at her in astonishment. "Forget about what everyone else thinks for a second and figure out what it is you're really after here." She released him and stood, walking away again. "I'm going after that new model in the morning. You're on your own now, kid." She frowned at him over her shoulder before finally leaving.

Prompto laid there for a few moments before finally pushing himself back up to a sitting position. "She's right, you know..." He looked over at his girlfriend. "You're thinking about this too much." She scooted closer, smiling softly as she rested a hand on his arm. "While it's nice to consider what others want, and to try your best to please them, what you want is equally as important." She shifted her gaze to the campfire. "Trust me, I know. I used to try so hard to be what I thought my family would want."

Prompto pursed his lips together, holding back tears. "Ryella..." He didn't look at her, only stared at the fire. "Maybe..." His voice was trembling. "Maybe it would be better if you...went back to the others." Her eyes widened, understanding what he meant. "I'm sure they'd be happy to have your help."

It grew quiet. Ryella's shock faded away, as she had a definite answer for him. "No."

Prompto blinked in surprise, finally meeting her gaze. "Whaddya mean 'no'?"

A slight smile tugged at her lips. "Exactly that. No. I'm not leaving just because you want me to. I want to stay right here, with you. And that's what I plan to do."

Prompto hung his head again. "But...how could you stand to be with someone like me? I-I'm...a monster---an experiment... How could I ever make you happy?"

Her gaze softened. "Prompto..." She placed her hand over his barcode, covering it. "Where, or how, we're born doesn't matter. It doesn't change who we are. Niff or Tenebraen, born or created---what matters is that we are both living, breathing humans." She placed her free hand on the side of his face, turning his head to look at her. She pecked his lips. "And for the record, you always make me happy when you're just being you."

The boy's vision blurred with tears that threatened to fall. "You..." A genuine smile graced his lips. "Thank you." He leaned in, kissing her, pouring his feelings into it. He then pulled her into an embrace, burying his face into her hair. "I'm...so relieved to hear that. I didn't want to say goodbye."

"You won't have to," she quietly told him, hugging him. "I'm not leaving you. Not now, not ever."

The blond carefully pulled her closer, moving his legs on either side of her. With her seated between his legs, she leaned against his chest. It was peacefully quiet with only the crackling of the fire to be heard. Ryella was so happy, she felt like singing, and she knew just the song that suited the moment and described exactly how she felt.

This song is called "True Colors" and is by Celtic Woman. I only used a portion of the lyrics for this one.

"You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh, I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Makes you feel so small

"But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors, true colors
Are beautiful...like a rainbow"

Prompto's eyes widened. If she was singing how she felt, then she just confessed something. She...she loves me? Ryella didn't seem to notice his expression or the words that came from her mouth. Prompto contained his excitement to let her finish her song. After all, her voice was beautiful, and he loved seeing her cheerfully singing without a care in the world.

"So sad eyes
Take courage now
And realize
When this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
Just call me up
Because you know I'll be there

"And I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors, true colors
Are beautiful...oh, like a rainbow

"You're beautiful
You're beautiful
Your true colors are beautiful...like a rainbow"

Prompto took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, turning her head to face him. "That was beautiful." A playful grin suddenly crossed his lips. "So...you love me?"

The girl blinked in confusion. She thought back on the words she'd spoken, realizing that she had confessed through song. Her eyes grew wide and her cheeks turned red out of embarrassment. She gasped and covered her face with her hands, turning away from him.

"Oh, g-goodness...I-I, um..."

He lightly took both of her wrists, pulling her hands out of the way so he could see her flustered face. "Well? Do you love me?"

She found herself staring right into his bright, blue eyes. She slowly nodded. "Y-yes...I l-love you..." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Prompto joyfully laughed, "Darn it, you beat me to it!" Ryella looked at him questioningly, noticing a blush spreading across his face. "I've been meaning to tell you how I've been feeling lately, but you just had to swoop in and say it before I could!" He repeatedly kissed her. "I love you," he murmured against her lips. He then rested his forehead against hers, getting lost in her emerald eyes. "I love you, Ryella. I can't even believe how happy you've made me. I'm ecstatic!"

The girl giggled at him. "I can tell."

She gripped onto his shoulders, leaning in and pressing her lips to his. She could tell just how delighted he was by his enthusiastic kisses. He almost immediately shoved his tongue into her mouth, savoring her taste as he explored. She hummed softly into the kiss, being completely submissive and letting him do whatever he wanted. They both panted when they pulled apart.

"Y'know, I'm still not sure what I want to do yet," the blond admitted. "I don't know if I can face Noct and the guys. But as long as I have you, I know I'll be okay."

"You'll find a way," she replied. "I'll support you with whatever you decide to do. Just know that the others won't think any differently. You four are the best of friends, and I don't believe anything could tear you apart."

"I hope so." He sighed, still not exactly sure unless he heard it straight from his friends. "For now, let's just get some rest. Stay near the fire, okay? I don't want you to get too cold."

She smiled at how thoughtful and sweet he was. The two both shifted and moved around. Ryella curled up, facing the campfire. Prompto snuggled up behind her, draping an arm over her side and keeping her against him. He nuzzled against the nape of her neck, kissing it lightly.

"Night, babe. Love ya."

Ryella steadily closed her eyes, a permanent smile on her lips. "Love you too, Prompto. Goodnight."

The gunman smiled to himself, even though he was still shocked, confused, and hurt to find out the truth about his origins. With Ryella and Aranea's words of encouragement, he certainly felt a bit better. But hearing his goddess of a girlfriend say she loved him is what really cheered him up. He wanted to believe her, to trust in her, and figure out what to do. In the morning, he was determined to find his answer.