#ive been DYING to get my hands on a proper copy of i brought you my bullets but its so hard to shop for this shit in sa

[eggbagelz]

Oooooooooh i cannot wait for my cdrs to get here

[avengers-nextgen]

The Rise Of The Lost IV

Bianca shivered in the cold confines of her cell. The surgery had been finished but no one had bothered to provide any pain relief. The girl was stuck laying on her stomach. Any form of movement brought tears to her eyes and tugged at the fragile stitches trailing her spine.

Bianca had no idea how long she’d been unconscious for again. If it was her luck maybe a day. The soldier knew, however, that her pain would not stop Dr. Strauss from her work. There was always room for improvement, first the arm for aesthetic effect, then the spine, what else?

The grating of a lock releasing was followed by footsteps and a white lab coated individual. “We have finishing touches, my dear.”

Bianca could only grunt out a response of pitiful protest.

“To your feet soldier.” With a set of gloved hands Bianca was slung to a standing position. Pain mirroring the sensation of burning alive made her vision dot with white spots.

Bianca’s knees buckled and the doctor was forced to support most of her weight. The shuffle through dim lit hallways was slow. Spotting the same metal table as before sent a flurry of panic through the soldier, but she could not flee. Physically-it was impossible.

Swallowing the grief already settling in, Bianca followed the normal procedure. With extremely slow and gentle movements the girl stripped from her uniform. The air, cold to the skin, burned tender bits of unhealed flesh.

— — —

Bucky didn’t get far when Siyanda caught up to him. “What do you want?”

“You need tnis.” The teenager held up a small earpiece. “Chances are she is being experimented on. If you interrupt the process it could cause permanent damage. I will have to walk you through the proper procedures to make sure you both make it out alive.”

Bucky contemplated the device before plucking it from Siyanda’s fingers. “Have someone ready to evacuate us.”

“Understood.” Siyanda nodded.

“Chances are you’re going to need a good pilot.” Both of the heroes turned in surprise to see Orion dressed in a flight suit.

“You are supposed to be in the infirmary.” Siyanda scowled.

“I’m tired of being pent up.” Orion shrugged. His slender fingers tugged anxiously at leather gloves. “Besides, my uncle rocket got experimented on without his consent. I’m not letting that happen to anyone else. You tell me where I need to be and I’ll be there.”

— — —

Bucky was putting a lot of faith in two teenagers. To be honest it worried him, but there was little else to be done. Equipped with hidden weaponry the soldier set on a determined path through the New York streets.

Each second that passed was a longer opportunity for Bianca to slip through his grasp. He couldn’t explain the protective instincts flaring in him. He had hardly talked to the girl and she’d made it quite clear he was nothing more than a monster to her.

Yet, here he was. About to take on an unknown enemy by himself. Bucky supposed that no matter what, all fathers had some attachment to their children whether they’d known them forever or not. Just looking at Bianca was like looking in a mirror and he’d be damned if Bianca was subjected to torture because of his own creation as a weapon.

— — —

The armory was non threatening on the outside but underneath was a rat’s maze of systems. Getting inside wasn’t an issue-as an assassin Bucky knew every trick in the book when it came to accessing off limits places.

Beneath the armory floor (which now was a ceiling) Bucky began to traverse the cold and dank tunnels. Faint lights flickered overhead like clumsy beacons. The atmosphere was charged with tension despite the silence.

A scream shattered the air. Bucky’s first instinct was to cover his ears but his heart leapt in his throat and he began to run. Drawing the pistols from his belt his boots slammed heavily on the concrete.

A camera blinked to life as he emerged into a small chamber. Without another look the device was shot. It exploded in sparks and its guts hung out in fritzing wires. As soon as the camera died an alarm began to wail overhead.

“Looks like a party is about to happen.” Bucky grumbled. “I didn’t know they celebrated father’s day.”

Setting his jaw the soldier tore on through the next passageway. Behind him were the sounds of heavy breathing and thick soled shoes slamming on the ground in a hungry pursuit. Metal arm skimming his belt, Bucky pulled out a metallic ring and pressed the center. Tossing it backwards over his head the tunnel flashed in violent blue as electricity incapacitated the enemy. “Gotta thank Natasha for giving me a bunch of those.”

Another scream more pitiful than the last urged him forward. As Bucky rounded a corner-getting closer to the pleading cries an arm jutted outwards close lining him in the neck. If it hadn’t been on sheer adrenaline Bucky would have landed flat, but he used the backwards momentum to turn his fall into a back flip.

Without hesitation Bucky fired at the body of his attacker sending them to the ground in a pool of their own blood.

— — —

“Almost done.” Crowed the false motherly time of Doctor Strauss. Bianca wanted to scream at her that she was lying. Only the stupid muzzle wouldn’t allow it. The metallic device only allowed screams to break through on occasion.

The sound of someone rushing down the opening up ahead brought the doctor’s attention. “Ah, I see you’ve arrived with the medical equipment.”

“Like hell I have.” The voice was gruff and the doctor froze in fear. Bianca located the intruder. Bucky stood with his gun raised and a look of murder on his face. Blood was splattered across his uniform and his eyes glared angrily at the doctor. “Siyanda!”

“Copy!” Siyanda replied.

“You’re going to do everything I say doctor if you want to live.” Bucky studied the lab coated individual carefully. He could tell right away she valued herself too much to consider dying. “Tell me exactly what you’ve done.”

— — —

The process of pausing the final touches to the spinal implants was more painful than continuing on with the procedure. The doctor’s nerves made her hands shake and the retraction of pins and needles was flawed.

Each muffled and pained cry, each twitch of hurt, the labored breathing going suddenly still-it all made Bucky incredibly anxious. Was the doctor even following Siyanda’s instructions? Had Bucky relayed something wrong?

It was only when the restraints holding Bianca in place released that Bucky let out a sigh of relief. The doctor lowered the platform back down to floor level as if it were a table and Bucky was confronted with the true damage done to the girl.

Metallic ridges resembling the vertebra of a spine glinted in the low light. The metal panels shifted and moved in an identical manner to that of her arm and his. Her spine would be able to support an ungodly amount of weight and would be able to handle an unimaginable beating.

“What are your plans with her-“

“Do you know who I am?” Bucky questioned. He barely titled his head to look at the doctor and it was as if she noticed his true identity for the first time.

“Oh-oh my-“ Bucky nodded in recognition as if she’d actually said his name.

“You have two options doctor. The first, you come back with me and face legal repercussions. The second, I kill you right here and now-no one would be the wiser.” Bucky held the gun up to emphasize his point. “No one even knows this place exists.”

The doctor didn’t hesitate to select option one. Bucky scrounged up Bianca’s discarded clothes and returned to her side. She didn’t move, didn’t look at him, her eyes only stared into an emptiness he could not see. She was in shock.

Perhaps it was a mercy.

Bucky was able to dress her without her feeling an ounce of pain. He acted unknowingly like a father whose kid had fallen asleep in the car and had to be carried to bed before changing the child’s pajamas.

With ease the soldier scooped up the quivering girl covered in a light sheen of sweat. The doctor followed close behind. An anxious air radiated off of her and Bucky felt like yelling at her to cut the crap and keep it together. Instead he spoke to Siyanda, “Tell the kid to pull the jet around.”

“Copy that.” Siyanda replied in her clipped and formal tone. The receiver crackled for a moment as the signal shifted.

“I’m outside.” The boy’s voice broke in. “Make it quick. They have some big guns out here.”

“It’s an armory.” Bucky snorted. “Of course they do. Don’t worry it’s all been deactivated.”

“Yeah, I sure hope so. Otherwise I’m about to repeat my crash landing and I don’t think I’m waking up in a cushy hospital bed next to a synthetic green and red robot dad.” All Bucky could think was that Peter Parker would get an absolute kick out of this kid.

— — —

As promised, the jet was hovering tentatively outside with onlookers gawking in awe. Thankfully? They were so impressed by the machine they didn’t notice Bucky or the doctor.

The asphalt grated against the soldier’s boots and the sound was somewhat comforting-until he heard the bang. One second the doctor was walking beside him, the next she was laying on the ground with her brains blown out.

“What the hell was that?” The kid cried.

“No idea but we have to high tail it out of here.” Bucky felt some guilt at leaving the doctor there but he couldn’t risk ending up like that as well. Once safely aboard Bucky settled Bianca on the medical cot. With some general knowledge of medical equipment Bucky began to monitor her vitals. They stabilized after a few IV drips.

Orion remained quiet the rest of the way back home and Bucky didn’t mind it one bit. He sat with his hands clasped watching the poor haggard girl shake. She was curled into an extremely tight, protective ball. The fear etched on her face along with the pain made his stomach clench.

One fateful tear trailed down her cheek. Bucky reached out and his metal index finger skimmed lightly across her cheek to wipe it away.

[freezing-kaiju]

Stardate: Some Time Before

Chapter -2: Shake, Roll, and Rattle

A prologue to me and @pupmon1‘s Fire Emblem Heroes fanfic, Stardate: 2689

Warnings: Murder, Semi-Graphic Violence, Implied Starvation, Death Mention

Effie shuddered...and felt confusion as consciousness returned to her. This was supposed to be...the sleep from which all ends. The...the others had long succumbed to it...and now, she was fading...or she was supposed to be. Was the project back online?

Slowly, hesitantly, she uncurled herself...and found herself staring at a tiny human woman and a somewhat taller, older human man. The girl was clad in jarringly clashing pink-and-black clothing and had a large bun of blond-and-purple hair. Effie rested on her hands, hovering over the woman.

“Yay! You’re awake!” the woman announced happily. “Gods, you wouldn’t believe how hard it was to make a proper IV drip for you on such short notice...How do you feel?”

“I’m already so proud of you both,” the older man said in a booming, bombastic yet strangely kind voice.

“...I feel....” Effie shook her head. “...confused. Why aren’t I dead? Who...who are you both?” She shuddered and growled for a moment. “Did you...humans...finally find a-another war...to fight?”

“No, nothing like that!” the woman said. “I saved you because...well, I’m not sure why, except I felt it was cruel for them to just...abandon people to die.”

“...not people...weapons…” Effie mumbled, remembering what some of the olders said before they faded.

“You’re a people. Er...person,” the woman said. “Do you have a name?”

“FE...Effie…” she muttered, gesturing to the letters engraved in her side.

The woman smiled. “That’s a cute name! I’m Elise, and this is Arthur. He’s my bodyguard and my best friend!”

Arthur bowed with a smile. “Glad to meet you, Effie!”

Effie nodded and groaned. “...I feel...so weak...useless...should’ve...let me fade...like the others…”

“Why?” Elise cocked her head. “Everyone deserves a chance at life. I’m just sad I couldn’t save the others...but you survived. And I’m gonna keep you alive, no matter what those scientists said.”

“You’ll be in top shape in no time!” Arthur announced. “Elise is quite the little genius.”

“...so...you’re...you’re the reason I’m still alive?” Effie said, looking down at Elise and crouching to attempt to get to eye level with her.

Elise nodded. “Yep!”

“I owe you my life,” Effie said. She reached out her hand and then pulled back again. No, no, don’t touch her...she’s designed to crush fully grown, strong humans in one hand. She didn’t want to...to break Elise.

“Yaaay! New friend!” Elise said. She ran up and hugged Effie.

Effie froze. Don’t move....one wrong move and her...her first friend in a very long time would be gone. “...please, Elise, don’t come near me. I’ll break you...I’m made to break people, even if i’m not trying I’ll break you.”

Elise hesitated, then let go and walked back a few paces. “Sorry...I could help you with that maybe?”

Effie looked down at her hands. “...I'm made to destroy...I don't think you can help with what I was made to do…”

Elise nodded. “Okay...we’ll have to try really hard then!”

Effie couldn't help but chuckle at the woman's optimism. If she wants to try...who is she to tell her no. Effie sat back with her hands in her lap, flinching as a pulse of pain racked her body.

Elise and Arthur rushed over. “Are you okay?” Elise asked. “Do you need anesthetic? Do you have any injuries? Before now I couldn’t see under your outer carapace so I couldn’t tell if you needed medical attention besides the obvious...”

Effie recoiled when Elise came close, curling in on herself a little more. “I just...hurt…” she muttered softly. She paused for a moment, remembering something that happened to the elders as they faded. “Is...is something...growing on my back?”

“Um...” Elise looked around. “...other than the rock-like keratinous plates common for your species, nothing I can see. I’m not very familiar with your species...and you appear to be a mutation to boot.”

Effie hesitated, then gestured over to a large boulder that had plants growing on the top...the roots growing into, and expanding the cracks.

“As we fade...other life finds their home in us…” Effie paused and closed her eyes. “...I think….i can feel it...on my back...in the cracks…”

“Oh that’s bad,” Elise said. “Would it hurt you if we removed that? Or should I put you under anesthetic?”

“I can probably yank it out,” Arthur said, then added, “but i’m...not sure if there are risks attached to that.”

“Its...not a part of me...just a product of dying…”

Elise nodded. “Makes sense...as you were starving, your body removed heat from the plates, and plants began to grow on what seems like an ordinary rock. Arthur, permission granted.”

Arthur began yanking the moss off in chunks. Some stone came free...water oozing out of the cracks, but Effie remained silent,

“Feel any better?” Elise asked.

Effie didn't answer. She gently shook Arthur off her back, loose stones falling off her as she moved. Then she stood, the joints and plates that had been clogged up by moss and roots finally able to move better.

“It...doesn't hurt to move,” she muttered with a smile.

“Yay! That’s great!”

Effie paused and looked over at the other boulder...her last friend. She sighed and stumbled towards the boulder.

“No one else made it...did they?” As she spoke, she lifted her arms, ready to bring a crushing fist down on the boulder...but waiting for an answer.

“No...” Elise said. “We...we brought back three that had faint vitals but...the other two died days ago. We were too late.”

Effie nodded solemnly, then brought the fist down, cracking the boulder...water welling from the crack.

“...holy heck...”

“...I am alone…” Effie muttered. “I am the last…”

“...I’m sorry...” Elise said. “I couldn’t save them…”

“You saved me...thank you. But...I don't know what I'll do with this…”

Elise paused for a moment. “...you could be my bodyguard! That’s the excuse I used so that Father would keep Arthur and Percy around. Then we can be friends!”

Effie hesitated before nodding. “I will guard you, excuse or not. I owe you my life.”

“Alright! Yay! I’ll go tell Father.” Elise dashed off.

Effie watched the kind woman dart off...then collapsed onto her stomach with a pained groan.

“What happened??” Arthur asked, so startled he tripped over his own feet and fell onto his back.

Effie groaned and her back started to leak water. “...I...my back...is bleeding...isnt it?”

“...oh gods...I’m no good at bandaging, but yes.” Arthur looked extremely concerned. “Is there any way I can stop it?”

“I...dont know...I didn't want...Elise to see…” she mumbled.

“She’s a surgeon. She’s seen...far worse. Enough to make me faint.” Arthur said.

“I...think my...back is too compromised...to remain connected,” Effie muttered. “It needs...to be removed...I think…”

“Your...your entire back? Or just your armor? I have an axe...or i could pull it off if it’s just loose enough?”

“The...armor...its going to hurt...but...pull free the...peeling plates.”

“Okay.”  Arthur climbed onto her back. “...here goes nothing!” He began yanking away the peeling plates, losing his balance and falling off a couple times but continuing.

Effie cried in pain, but managed to stay mostly still as the rock came loose. Old grey rock layers easily came loose, the rock brittle enough to fall apart in Arthur's hands. Beneath the unhealthy layers, pink rock was revealed...and Effie’s back wasn't so imposing anymore.

“Well,” Arthur announced, looking at her back, “Job well done...mostly. Surprised I didn’t injure myself, really...but your back looks healthier.”

Effie groaned and nodded. “Thank you...could...could you do the same...on my arms…?” she asked softly, weakly lifting one arm to reveal the outer layer was also unhealthy grey.

“Sure!” Arthur stood up and began pulling off more grey plates. Under most of them was the same healthy pink rock, but on the inside of her arms and the palms of her hands was muscular yet almost soft flesh, well soft compared to the stone….to a human it still seemed like calluses.

“...hmm. I don’t know many rollenratls, but the ones I do know seem to have these big razors that would probably help this a lot better than just...me pulling,” Arthur said. “We need to get you one of those...and probably some specially tailored clothes before someone gets offended...”

“...what are clothes…?”

Arthur blinked, and then gestured to his shirt, cape, gloves, pants, and boots.

“...thats not armor…?”

“No, it all comes off. Elise has several outfits, I have...well, several copies of the same outfit and a few copies of it in purple, black, and gold, for when I’m feeling patriotic.”

Effie chuckled and closed her eyes. “Humans are...strange…” she stopped for a moment and curled up a little. “I remember the elders...mentioning...Stalvak. Some...kind of marking...but not clothes…”

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “What? Never heard the term...”

“They were...some kind of...markings...applied to our armor…”

“Ah. I’ve...seen those.”

Arthur heard light footsteps running through the hall. Elise burst into the room and skidded to a halt. “HEY GUYS HE SAID YES! I-” She stopped. “Effie? What...why...why are you pink?? Did something happen???”

“I'm...supposed to be...pink…” Effie muttered. “The...grey plates...were unhealthy…”

“Oh. I see, sorry I didn’t notice.” Elise said. Then she smiled. “Pink looks really cute on you! Oh and...your hair is still grey, is that part supposed to be like that?”

“...yeah…” Effie curled in on herself. “tired...want to...curl and rest…”

“Ok. I’ll put the IV back in when you’re curled up then,” Elise said.

Effie curled up, pulling her arms over her face, and letting darkness overtake her.

------

“Elise?” Camilla said, knocking on her little sister’s door. There had been different crashing sounds from that room for the past several hours, like she was throwing plates against the wall one by one. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine!” Elise shouted. “Arthur and me are trying to teach my new bodyguard friend how to not break things!”

“...wait you have a new bodyguard?” Camilla asked.

“Oh right, you just got back. Come in here and meet her!”

Camilla opened the door and gasped, looking up at Effie. Camilla herself exceeded seven feet tall but even she was dwarfed by the massive pink rocky woman. She knew other rollenratls, sure...but even Benny was barely ten feet tall. “...what in the name of sanity is that??”

“This is Effie!” Elise said excitedly as Effie nervously curled in on herself, trying to look smaller.

“...hello…” Effie muttered.

“....I...sorry for startling you. Hello, Effie,” Camilla said, attempting to regain composure. “You’re...very big.”

Effie nodded nervously. “Yeah…I am...but...so are you...compared to Elise…”

Camilla nodded. “I’m a Nohrian. We’re usually around 6-8 feet tall. I’m...familiar with your species too, but...Benny is the tallest one I know and he’s...smaller than you.”

“...” Effie looked over at Elise. “...I told you we aren’t usually this big…” she muttered as she tried to stand, her back hitting the ceiling.

“...anyways...” Camilla said, trying to diffuse the awkwardness in the situation. “Uh...how did you two meet?”

Elise hopped forward and smiled. “Well...I saved her!”

“Oh, that’s good.” Camilla smiled and hugged her. “My little hero sister.”

Effie nodded and sat down with a thud. “Yes...she saved me from my...fate…” Effie shifted positions awkwardly. “I’d be dead...if not for her…”

“A very noble action. Elise has always been...well, the best out of the family. Certainly the kindest.” Camilla smiled. “I’m sure you’ll do very well here. What were you three doing again?”

“We were trying to teach Effie how to be gentle!” Elise said with a smile.

Arthur held up a plate and pointed to a pile of them, and a pile of broken ones. “We’re trying plates first.”

Camilla frowned and crossed her arms. “Why don't you try her interacting with other rollenralts?” she asked simply. “Isn’t that how they usually learn to be gentle? Or start out?

Elise and Arthur looked between each other and slapped their foreheads. “...didn't think of that,” Elise said. “Do you have Benny’s number?”

“I’ll call him. You three...stay here, stop making more of a mess for the staff.” Camilla nodded towards Elise and closed the door.

“...am I going to see...another one?” Effie asked carefully, looking between Elise and Arthur.

“Yeah!” Elise said.

“Benny’s a nice fellow,” Arthur said. “Good friend, doesn’t drink or talk much, really good with animals. Probably the best person to teach anyone how to be gentle.”

Effie nodded and looked down at her lap. She ducked her head down and just...waited. A few minutes later, there were loud footsteps outside, something that put Effie on edge. She popped up and glared at the door, ready to attack whatever is next.

Benny opened the door. “...you rang, kiddo?” He looked up at Effie. “Hi.”

Effie stared down at the dark grey rollenralt, and paused, relaxing from her attack stance. “...like...me?” she muttered carefully.

“Uh...yeah. Think so.” Benny raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Never seen anyone as tall as you, but other ‘n that yeah. Like you.”

Effie smiled and rumbled contentedly. Seeing another rollenratl that doesn’t want to hurt her is...comforting. “That...purple woman...said you could help us…help me…”

“Ya want to learn how to not break stuff?” Benny nodded. “I getcha. I can help you with that. Had to teach myself so I got experience with that.”

“I...I don’t want to hurt Elise...o-or Arthur.” Effie added the second part quickly, squirming a little. “Teach me to be gentle...please.”

Benny smiled. “Let’s get to it, then. To the court yard!”

---

“She’s pretty strong,” Camilla commented as Effie cracked a boulder.

“Yeah...” Elise said. She was staring at Effie’s muscles. “Pretty.”

Camilla glanced at her little sister and grinned. “And kinda hot,” she said slyly, trying to see if Elise was actually listening. “I’d do her~ Maybe...I should recruit her for my ship~”

“No! If you take her you’re taking me too,” Elise said. “...and Arthur. Arthur too.”

“Hmm…you like her,” Camilla teased, poking her sister’s cheek. “Don’t lie, you like her~”

“Okay...yeah. Yeah I definitely do.” Elise smiled. “She’s so strong...and pretty...and she’s trying so hard! It’s adorable!”

Over on the courtyard, Effie was trying to pick up a training dummy without tearing its limbs off. Her face shone with concentration as she carefully, slowly lifted it...and then heard a cracking sound.

“Try lifting more from the back,” Benny suggested, miming a scooping motion.

Effie nodded. She moved to the next dummy and stared at it a few moments. Then she reached down, gently scooping the dummy up, and slowly, hesitantly, lifted it close to her head, cradling it in her arms. “...was that good?”

Benny smiled and nodded. “Yes, yes, very good!”

“Yay!” Effie said, smiling. She paused, then began slowly lowering the dummy down to the ground. She set it on the ground, then jumped back, wiggling happily.

“YAY! Great job, Effie!” Elise shouted from the side.

“I’m impressed she’s progressing this fast,” Camilla said, then grinned. “Maybe she wants to impress you.”

Elise blushed lightly and closed her eyes. “...you really think so…?”

“...yeah, seems like it,” Camilla said. She looked over at Effie, who was looking at Elise with...well, admiration at least. Very probable affection. “Yeah...you defintally have an admirer.”

Elise opened one eye and found Effie smiling up at her. “Ah! Hi, Effie. Y-you did...really well...”

Effie blushed a darker shade of pink. “Thanks. I still need a lot more practice before I can...hold you, though.”

Elise smiled and sat up. “Well then...I’ll just ride your back until you’re ready, okay!”

Effie hesitated, then nodded. “Alright, climb on!” She crouched down, and Elise clambered up onto her back.

Effie straightened up and Elise clung to her back, giggling. Elise climbed up more and perched herself in the crook of Effie's neck.

Camilla chuckled. “You two are adorable.”

The two of them blushed and looked away. “Th-thanks, sis,” Elise said.

---

Effie stared down at a timid thin man that stood in the center of the arena. She had been given the...honor of carrying out his execution. The king and his family sat above, watching her circle around the timid man.

“P-please Lord Garon! C-call the monster off! Please! I’m sorry! I-I-I’ll never fail you again!” the man, Iago, cried out.

From above, Effie heard a dark chuckle. “No...you won’t. You may proceed, creature. Exact your vengeance.”

Effie stopped for a moment and looked up towards Elise...hoping she won’t watch. Then she focused on the small man...the man who ran the experiment that made her...canceled the experiment and left her people to starve.

“You understand me, human?” she hissed in the language the elders taught her.

“I taught that language to your predecessors!” He hissed back.

“Good,” Effie charged forward and grabbed Iago by his neck, just short of crushing his windpipe. “Then you will live just long enough to know what you did to us.” She threw the man into the corner and lumbered towards him. “You threw us out...left us to starve in a dead canyon. You left us to try and survive and survive we did! For a few years.” She stood over the man now...she could see how small he really was. “Then we turned on each other...fighting over the last scraps of food…until there was nothing left and we could do nothing except waste away.” She lifted the man by his shoulders and pinned him to the wall. “Do you know fear now, human? DO YOU FEAR THE MONSTER YOU CREATED?!?” she roared loudly, pausing for a response.

“Yes.” he responded, cringing.

“Good...your fear is all I wanted…” Effie relaxed for a moment...seeming like she was going to let him go. “But...now...it’s not enough…” Effie stepped back, letting him drop to the ground, then she scooped him up, slamming her arm into his stomach...and crushing his head with her free hand against the walls of the arena.

She stepped back, letting the mangled mess drop to the ground. She stamped her foot into his chest, grinning at the sound of his ribcage cracking before she finally turned and walked away, not even bothering to clean the blood that clung to her stones when she returned to the...prep room, the guard had called it. She just sat down and tried to calm her pulse.

Several minutes passed... then a door creaked open.

“...E-Effie? It’s...it’s time to go...c-can you please clean the gore off of yourself? I-if not...i-i guess that's ok...”

“...I’d...need some water…” Effie muttered softly, not looking up. “And...the yellow...stalvak...to replace what will wash off…”

“I-I can take you to the baths,” Elise said shakily. “A-and that’s in my- our room...”

Effie didn’t respond, just kept her head down. After a moment, she spoke shakily. “...I’m...I’m sorry...that I scared you…I didn’t...didn’t mean to...”

“I-it's okay, I just...-”

“He needed to pay…” Effie mumbled. “He had to pay...for what he put us through...he deserved it…”

“Yes. It's just... heck, I should be used to this by now, but the first time I see someone I know kill another person it always kinda shakes me... I mean, with Camilla when I was 6, and...well Father is always killing people, and Xander when I was 9, and Leo when I was 12...everyone around me has killed at least one person...most for much worse reasons than you.” Elise sighed. “My main concern now is...I don't want Father to turn you into a gladiator. You deserve better.”

Effie shivered and closed her eyes. “I-...I’m a monster…” she muttered. “I’m...a born fighter...killer...nothing would change if he...actually used me for my purpose…”

“Don’t say that!” Elise shouted, now crying. “Please...don’t...you're so much more than just the monster he thinks you are! You're fun and smart and gentle and nice and...and beautiful...and you're my friend.”

Effie sat up and reached out for Elise hesitantly, shivering a little.

Elise walked over, reached up, and hugged Effie, burying her face into the soft flesh on her midriff. “...it's okay.”

Effie curled around Elise...it wasn’t crushing or uncomfortable. It was...gentle and kind and protective. “I’m sorry...I’m so sorry…” she muttered softly. “Please...please don’t be afraid of me.”

“...I’m not. I promise...”

Effie just continued to hold Elise close to her body, shivering around her as she...she started crying. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry…” she muttered again and again.

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Elise repeated, hugging Effie as tightly as she could. “I’m not scared anymore. He...he deserved it. He was the real monster...he did the same thing to others...and almost worse...”

Effie took a shaky breath and slowly released Elise from her grasp, letting her pull away so she could stand.

“...let’s go to the baths,” Elise said with a reassuring smile. “C’mon.”

Effie smiled and followed Elise obediently, with her head down so hopefully others would at least leave her alone.

---

“H-hey, Elise?”

It was a few weeks later. Everything had calmed down somewhat...people seemed a bit more afraid of Effie, but Elise had been doing her best to dissuade any fear. The two of them were in Elise’s room now. Effie had finally mastered  being gentle enough to not crush extremely delicate objects, like glass or paper.

“Yeah, Effie?” Elise asked. Her hair was all askew, not put up in its usual buns or twintails. It was startling just how much she had. “What is it?”

Effie paused and scraped her fingers against one of her plates. “I...kinda wanted to..to tell you something...” But what was the use? She’d never say yes... and she deserved better than...her.

“Mhm?” Elise nodded. “Go on...”

“I...um...look, I...I kinda sorta went and fell completely in love with you...”

Elise’s eyes widened and she sat up a little. “R-really?” she muttered in disbelief.

“Yeah...really...I’m sorry.” Efie began curling in on herself. “I...I know you probably don’t feel the same, but...I had to say it...”

Elise stood and shook her head. “No no! Don’t retreat. Come on, come out of there.” Elise walked over and put a hand on Effie’s shell. “Come on...I...I love you too Effie. Come out and talk to me…”

Effie began uncurling. “Wait, really? You...you love me?”

Elise smiled and inched in front of Effie, making sure she could see her. “Yes, of course...you’re so cute, and strong, and you try so hard to be gentle and soft and it’s just so adorable! I love you. Come on out and hug me.”

Effie uncurled fully and gently picked Elise up, pulling her into a very careful hug. “...I...I’m so happy! I’m happier than I’ve been in my entire life!”

Elise giggled and nuzzled into her embrace. “Yaay! I’m so so happy!” She leaned up and paused. “Can you...uh...lean down for a sec?”

Effie leaned down, bringing her face close to Elise’s. “Umm...how to make this work...” She craned her neck up and kissed Effie on her nose.

Effie sighed and lifted Elise up. She smiled and kissed Elise.

Elise beamed. “Now we can be girlfriends! And...and I’ll never leave you behind. I promise.”

Effie smiled. “I trust you. And I will follow you to the ends of the earth if it would make you happy.”

Elise giggled. “This is the best day of my life...”

“Mine too.” Effie chuckled.