I was zoned out for a while, dreaming about life before. Where I got to do what I wanted. And then Estello fell off the fucking bed.

"Ah, what the hell?!"

"Huh, oh. Good morning, Vea."

I growled. I shouldn't have shared my name. That was dumb and stupid and dumb.

"Good morning, Estello. Now what the hell."

"What what the hell. It's morning. Did you get any sleep?"

"Nope."

"Why not?!"

"Like I said, I didn't want to. So I didn't."

"That's the stupidest shit I've ever heard."

"Well the last time I slept my privacy got violated so forgive me. Geez."

"I won't do it again! I swear!"

"I am tied to your living quarters," I point out, "I do not trust anything you say."

"Well, I can't exactly let you go, now can I?"

"It is still a valid point. How do I trust someone who tied me up, exactly?"

"What do you have to lose?"

"My sense of mobility?"

"Already lost, next question."

"Ask away, my friend who won't let me slam myself into a wall."

Estello smiled weirdly at me, "Friend? Oh my, you're moving so fast."

I turned away, flustered, "That was sarcasm with extra knives in the tone."

"Aw, that's so mean, and we even shared our real names."

"Don't you dare tell anyone," I say.

"Fine. But only if you say I'm your friend," Estello said, rolling faer eyes.

"Why? You haven't done anything "nice" for me and as far as I know friends are nice."

"I tried but you rejected everything!"

"Precisely," I smirk.

"What do you mean precisely?! You're the one that won't accept my kind offers!"

"That means I don't trust you yet. Or don't you know?"

"Hello," said a second friend, suddenly, making me flinch, "I wouldn't go out, it might rain soon."

I didn't care about the news. The ropes were really digging into my arms and legs. Estello ties me up with this uncomfortable, prickly, rope that is constantly touching me and still wants to be friends with me?

The third friend walked in, "Yeah, it's really cloudy so there's a pretty good chance."

"Good mornin' Eric. Our friend, here, you know them, their name and all that, and I were just talking."

I rolled my eyes but nobody saw it in my dirty, bloody cloak that was hiding me and keeping me safe.

"Y'know, you should really take that cloak off. I have some clothes that would probably fit you," Estello pointed out, referencing our similar heights. I was still shorter. If there were baggy pants, I was screwed. Besides! I still had rope burn! Bloody rope burn!!

"How do you expect me to-" I shift in my ropes, trying to gulp down the pain, "-do that?"

"Plus, it's like 89 degrees in here, you must be sweating," Eric says.

"Yeah, I am. But I don't want your pity."

Or you to look at me.

"Okay, well you have two options," says Estello, "You keep that cloak on and we douse you in water every so often to make sure you don't overheat. OR I untie you while we block the exits and you allow us to retie you."

"Fine.. I guess the second option," I say, gulping down more pain from the rope digging into my body.

"Ferg, Eric, guard the door," said Estello, bending over to untie me.

While they went over, Estello didn't, like, leave the room or anything. I was expected to change right there?! I turned my back and got out as quickly as I could, balling myself up so nobody could possibly see me.

Finally, Estello handed me new clothes and I bolted into another room to go change as quickly as I could, leaning against the door.

I stayed in there for a while, trying not to panic. I saw myself in the mirror. Wow. I looked stupid. Finally, I came out, still looking messy, ugly, and confused.

"V- Kira. Come out so I can retie you."

I sighed, ready to experience the wonderful joys of rope burn again. I walked out to the bed and still looked straight at the floor.

"Geez, don't look too happy."

The ropes were prepared, but since there was blood on them, Estello also prepared pads? What the hell? Who treated their captives like humans?

I purposely scratch my neck, hard, before I couldn't do it anymore. I had to. I really, really had to. Finally, I was sick of all the niceness.

"Hurry up already."

"As you wish," Estello said sarcastically before tying me up again.

"Now go lock me in a closet and don't feed me anything for the next fifteen days."

It'd already been four.

"Speaking of food, do we have our rations?"

"No," I murmured, trying to frantically look around for anything I could still hide in while being tied up to a bed. I wasn't eating.

"Hey... Kira-" Estello said hesitantly, allowing me to take a breath of relief, "I'll be right back. Ferg, you watch them."

Great. No. This was so stupid. I was still looking for a place to hide. I should've kept the damn cloak.

After a couple of minutes, Estello returned with a slice of bread and two cups of water.

"It ain't much, but it's all we got," a hint of venom was in faer voice. Then, the bread was held out to me, "Eat up."

"I'm not taking this from you."

"YOU'RE THE ONE THAT WAS LOOKING FOR FOOD," Estello yelled, very clearly mad at me.

I flinch, violently, "Because I figured you had more than they did!"

"Now why'd you think that," Estello yelled, louder, a slap to the face verbally.

I cower back, scared, not wanting Estello to hurt me or worse, "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know!!"

Estello sighed, "You guys destroyed everything. So just eat this and consider it your repayment. I'm not having a starving captive here, just a regular one."

"No, I'm not going to eat it," I said, still cowered back.

"Why are you guys so.. so weird?! We give you land and supplies, you destroy them all, thereby destroying your own supplies. We give you food because you don't have any and this time you refuse?! It's so self destructive."

"Thanks for noticing, seems like it's taken you forever," I dryly state, coming back up from my cowering, fearful pose.

"Okay, but why," said Estello, still holding the bread in front of my mouth, "What harm is it gonna do if you eat this bit of bread."

"It's gonna do a lot of harm, and I'm not gonna eat it," I said decisively.

"What harm?"

"Just don't. I don't want to eat it. Please."

"Why not?"

I looked down at the floor, silent. But then the bread is in my mouth. Estello was pushing it inside of my mouth. I spit it out, horrified.

"No! No! Why are you doing this," I screech.

"Because I don't want you to starve!!"

"I've gone longer. I'll be fine!"

"I don't care! It's unhealthy!"

"Why do you care about me so much?!"

"I DON'T KNOW," Estello yells.

I flinch again, and then I say, "I'm sorry..I'm sorry I'll eat the food..."

"It's fine. I just.. I don't like seeing people be so.. self destructive..."

"If it helps, I wasn't the only one destroying myself."

"No, it doesn't," Estello said, now handfeeding me.

"Well it should."

"You're insufferable."

"You're not the first to tell me that."

"Well it's true."

"I'm aware. Just saying."

Estello sighed and grabbed one of the water cups, "Drink."

My body was desperately trying to fight itself and stop itself from drinking the water, my throat even closed up, but finally, I got it down.

"There. Happy now? I just want to be left alone."

"Yes, I am," Estello said, placing a phone on the bed.

How the hell was I supposed to use it? Every time I actually started to think that maybe this person was okay fae had to go and remind me why I would never.

"So what about the closet part? When are you going to lock me away?"

"Never? I'm mean, not cruel."

I started humming, singing, and just being a little happy bean when everyone left. I don't know why, but maybe it would summon Kira.

I would never get used to not being outside. Outside was my whole life. It was what I did—what I was. And now I was captive, away from the sun.

The hours went on in the day, I was singing, tapping, and just being silly. I literally could've become a modern-day Ariana Grande if I'd had paper while being captive. But eventually, I got sick of the fact that the interrogation still hadn't been done. Why was Estello conveniently forgetting? It'd been almost five times now. No way it was accidental.

But suddenly, I heard a knock at the door.

"Hello?"

Holy shit, this wasn't any of the people that captured me.

"What the?! Damn," I yell.

"Thank the gods someone's alive! I thought the Newcomers had taken a few lives with them."

"Wish they'd taken my own, but they don't take their kind, eh?"

That acting was so shit I almost laughed. I knew. There was no way the person at the door was a citizen.

"Woah, you're a newcomer," a different voice said in awe.

Well, Sherlock, I hate to break it to you..

"You don't sound familiar.."

"No, I'm a Kira. I was just joking," I half-assedly mumble. I check the time again. 2pm. Estello, Eric and Fergus all left at 9am. It had been five hours. What the hell were they doing?

"Sure.."

I then yell, "If you're gonna break in can you be the ones to kill me? The others are seriously taking forever with it and death sounds delicious."

"Yeah, no. You're gonna have to stay for a bit longer. A little bit of psychological torture doesn't hurt anyone, right? Especially towards the cold-hearted ones."

Bitch, I cared about Kira more than I cared about myself. That's batshit crazy to assume I'm cold-hearted. I just don't like people. Especially you, outside. I can see your showerless body from eight miles away.

"I was already the newcomers' punching bag. I guess they really don't want me back anyway. Just wanted some shit that wasn't spoiled oranges."

Another presence peeked in the door and looked at me. I covered my eyes instinctively. "Selina! I think that there's someone here!"

Clearly they were the best detective in the nation. Yeah. No shit, Captain Obvious. Where'd you think the voice was coming from, your head?

"Leave them be. Let's see if their captors return."

"They've left me alone for five hours."

"Leave them be. Let's see if their captors return," ordered the Selina girl from outside. Damn. Okay.

"Who are you, actually," said the presence in Estello's room.

"The name's Kira."

"Kira, do you know who Viper is?"

"Know of, not who. But yeah."

"Hm. I stole a big pointy throne with the name Viper on it. I figured it was a newcomer thing."

"When did you find the time to steal a throne?"

Also. This bitch is dumber than the one outside. I said I knew of her, just not who she was. She's still a goddamn newcomer. Turn your hearing aid on, Grandma.

"You're so stupid. Are you deaf? I said I knew OF her, not who she was," I say dryly.

"Kira, think you can stay put until, say, tonight?"

Well, bitch, I'm tied to a goddamn bed. Yes I can stay put. Where the hell would I go? I'm tied to a bed.

"Sureee. By the way, can you like put the pad that was holding off the rope burn on my knee? It slipped and got worse and now the rope's all disgusting and bloody."

"Ooo, blood," said the most disgusting voice I ever did hear.

"Shut up, you're weird, go away. You don't get to do it."

"Wow, rude. Selina, I think I should slice that little arrogant mouth off and watch her bleed to death."

Can Selina do it? I trust her more than you. Also, when was the last time you brushed your teeth? Or seen a therapist? Or even a dentist? Do you know what a dentist is?

"I'm a they, and I really don't regret what I said," I reply, "Your obsession with blood and murder is so creepy and concerning that even I notice, and I'm a stupid little bitch."

Selina finally came in and became my true lord and savior and fixed the pad on my knee. I was about to worship her. Seriously. I would've started a new goddamn religion.

Finally, the people left. Well, I was only happy about the un-named Wednesday Addams knockoff leaving.

Then, after eight damn hours, Estello was back. With a bullet in faer leg? What the hell?-

"What the hell happened?"

"Just a little scuffle," fae said while casually treating a bullet wound, "What, are you worried?"

You wish.

"The bullets in your leg, that's off-putting."

"Nothing I can't handle. Not my first time being shot."

"I'm captive. I'm next."

"Sorry, but that ain't happening."

Dammit!

"I wish it would."

"I'm sure you do."

"You make me want to even more, you know?"

Estello finished up the wound and came over to me, "Tell me about the newcomers. I'm going on a mission."

"They breathe," I say, very freaked out.

"Gee, really? Look, if I go missing then you're going to rot in here. You'll die an excruciatingly slow death. In fact, I'll set up a system where you'll be drip fed water and nutrients. You'll be on the brink of starvation and thirst without being able to die," fae said before leaning in closer, causing me to scoot back, "So, tell me about the Newcomers."

"They exist."

"You know what, I don't need information. But can I just ask you to do one thing?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Tell no one where I am going. If they ask where I am tell them I have business. If they know me, they'll understand. I'll be off in five days so think of some excuse in the meantime."

You're going to get tortured.

"They aren't going to believe a captive," I sputter, "Shouldn't you tell someone else about this? I didn't tell anyone about my mission and I'm a captive slave now."

"I'm not telling anyone else. Just do it, please. Think of it as return for me keeping your name a secret."

You're going to die.

"That's basic decency," I sputter again, "and you're lucky I even told you. But fine. Just don't blame everyone else when you have a similar fate to me."

It'll be worse. So much worse.

"Hey, I'm asking for info. If you don't tell me and I get caught, that's your fault."

How would you ever understand the shit I had to go through? You're going to endanger Kira, too. She guards some days.

"How is it my fault that I'm not stupid, and maybe, just maybe, I want to see her still alive," I ask, bitterly, "They already ripped everything else from me. I don't need some citizens taking her too."

"Her?"

I turned around, looking at the exit. Did I want to do this? Was anyone in here, watching, listening? But someone had to know about her. I couldn't let anyone hurt her again.

"She's who my 'name' is based off of," I say, "She's really goddamned sick and I care about her. The one person I've allowed myself to love and not destroy at the same time, that's her."

"If I promise to protect her, will you give me information? I will not harm her, I'm not here to kill innocents. Just think of my mission as a retrieval. Of information and..something."

Nobody is innocent when they become a newcomer. Especially not Kira.

"I can't," I say, "I can't put her life on the line because I was stupid. I don't trust that you won't hurt her."

"How can I prove it to you?"

"You can't. She's the only reason I'm not dead. And she probably is dead."

"Would it help if I checked up on her? Even brought her back?"

Kira would die here.

"If you bring her back if she was, she'd just hate it here. She's nothing like me. She is.. or was.. sick."

"You're making this so difficult. How about this. I visit her. You get to call her. In exchange, you tell me what to expect. I'll even bring her some medicine."

Your ibuprofen isn't curing her serious illness. And seriously, why does Estello keep on saying I can call fae or call Kira? I'm tied to the bed! With what arms, genius?!

"Not even the strongest medicine could bring her back to full health. The newcomers don't do anything about her. She's probably dead."

"Look, either you work with me or you live with not knowing or interacting with her."

Fuck you! Don't hold my best friend, my everything, on the line to convince me to do what you want!

"I don't ever want to work with you," I state coldly, "I'll just find a way to get out and join her. Maybe she has a pretty grave. Wish I could've left her a damn flower."

"Oh my god, do you want to just come with me?"

And risk you getting killed even more? No. Believe it or not, I have a heart. And a brain.

"Why? Then they'll know people are missing."

"I'll leave a note or something, just cooperate, please."

"You're taking me to my home, and telling me to cooperate?"

"What do you want from me? I'm just trying to protect my friends and their rat."

"I want everyone to stop taking pieces of me to use and use until I'm no longer of value to them, but there isn't an end for that. Just leave."

"If I set you free, will you help? Look, I'm not trying to use you, but I need information. The newcomers destroyed my home. I want to destroy the ones responsible."

One of the 'ones responsible' is sitting directly in front of you. Your points don't add up for shit.

"I helped the damn mission. Why am I not dead?"

"You.. did?"

"I had to. They'll publicly beat and then execute you if you don't. Oh, oops, I gave you information. Do with that what you will," I say, bitterly.

It's what they did to my parents. They died because they stayed back from a mission to take care of their mistake who got sick. They got publically executed and butchered right in front of me.

"What did you do? How did you help?"

"They forced me to set crops on fire. My hand was already in pain, you know, before you broke it, from that. I had to relocate it myself."

"Who forced you?"

"Adult heads. They even threatened to shoot her. That's nicer than usual. I'm just grateful they didn't try to cut off her head the night after the mission at 3am—oh wait, they did, because I screamed and begged for them to take me instead and I was there."

"Where are they?"

"In the base, of course, sitting on their thrones."

"And where is this base?"

"Feels like it should be located in hell."

"Where is this base?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Just fucking tell me," yelled Estello.

I flinch violently, almost in the cowered back stance from earlier, "No."

Estello got real close and glared at me. I was trying to breathe, count to ten, not feel my skin get hot and prickly like it always did before I started panicking...

"I'm not telling you. You're gonna hurt her. I'm not letting anyone else do it! Enough people have hurt us!"

"I'm not gonna hurt her, seriously," said Estello, finally backing away from me and leaving me to sit up normally, "All I'm asking for is the goddamn base of the people in charge. Unless you mean to tell me she's one of them."

They're all "one of them".

"She's not one of them," I say, lying, "But she's with them. They kidnapped her for hanging out with me too much."

It's happened before.

"Then why would I hurt her?"

"Because you can hardly tell the difference." She's taller than all of them.

"Then what does she look like. And I'm assuming she's not gonna fight me, because she's so sick."

"She can't fight back. And I'm not giving you a description. Is it that hard to leave the only place I've known alone? You're just as bad as them! There is no fucking good sides, is there?"

"You know what, I'm just going to find this base. If she gets hurt because you won't tell me anything, that's on you. Screw the five-day wait, I'm leaving right now," Estello said, starting to pack faer bag, "I'll let you have my full ration since I won't be there to feed you. You thirsty?"

"No. The only thing I need is something to get my knee's rope burn fixed, but who was that caused by? Plus, you're injured. And if you hurt her and I find out about it, you're dead."

"I gave you pads to help with that rope burn. And maybe I wouldn't be so likely to hurt her if you gave me literally any identifying feature. Now eat this while I fix your ropes."

"It didn't work. Just give her a good funeral, or a hug if she's still alive," I say, blinking back tears, "Goodbye."

"How will I know it's her, though?"

"She'll ask about me. She's the only one that would."

Estello nodded, "I'll let you know what I find. Remember, tell nobody where I'm going."

The door shut, and I was alone.

I started to cry, knowing it would've all been my fault if I never saw her again.

I'm sorry..

(Selina: Lunar-Huntress
Estello: Eyvari
Eric: Hobbleistired
Other person:Ellium007 )