Notes: I don't have word yet on my new computer, so sorry for anything misspelled.
This is a short something that popped into my head. It's a one shot meeting between Ragady and one of my newer characters Adella. More on Adella to come. Feedback on the story itself is helpful, though in all liklihood this first most basic draft will probably be all I do.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything in DC universe, just Ragady and Adella.
Field Trip Outside
"I don't want to." Adella held the cold steel, the blade in her hand, but she didn't like it one tiny bit.
"Adella, meine kinde." the voice which spoke to her was so gentle, it reminded her of her mother. That was what had drawn her to it, what had convinced her to open the new woman's cell. Adella felt a hand on her face, a gentle caress worn rough with burns and stitches, but it was not warm as her mother's had been.
"This boy has seen us," Adella turned to look into the green eyes through the hair, "He wants to send us back. Back behind walls, back to our cells. He's cruel, he deservs this." she reassured, closing the hand more firmly on the knife.
"We have to make sure he can't point us out, can't send us back. We have to take his eyes."
Adella's eye gave a twitch, and she noticed a cruel and frightening smile stretch in Ragady's stitches. She looked between the boy, and the monster. The monster who was such a perfect combination of all she had been raised by. She hadn't even needed to think about letting Ragady out of her cell. Adella took a step towards the boy, glanced into his fear filled eyes, and dropped the blade.
"I don't want to do it, I can't!" when she spun on her heel, she had expected to see understanding in her new friend's eyes, but what she found was disappointment. Everyone had always been disappointed with her, it was a look she knew so well. Ragady's head tilted to the side, the living doll gave a look that Adella had seen on so many ghosts staring her down. But ghosts did not speak.
"We're friends, aren't we meine kinde? Do this for me, your friend..." Adella considered again, but still shook her head. She couldn't, just thinking about his eyes going squish made her stomach turn to knots. She gasped as Ragady's hands flew out, one hand gripping each of her arms.
"Then you'll go in the hole." the voice wasn't soothing anymore, it didn't have a single ounce of tenderness. Adella didn't know what the hole was, but she got the idea as Ragady dragged her to the open grate.
"N-NO! DON'T PUT ME DOWN THERE!" she struggled, but the grip on her arms was too strong, and a single push was all it took for her to tumble down into the dark, the grate snapping shut above her, out of her reach. She was in the dark, she was in something wet and ankle deep, in a tiny hole so she could feel the wall on each side. Before she could even call out, the muffled screams of the one above drifted down to her. She huddled, covered her ears with her hands, and hummed herself a desperate tune between sobs to try and drown out the screams.
Adella wasn't sure how long she had been out. She must have passed out at some point. It was dark, cold, cramped and wet. She had curled up, but it did little to keep her from shivering. She stared up into the darkness above, lost track of time, and then a loud bang and the sound of something crashing made her jump with a squeak. Voices, there were voices now, voices of grown ups talking at once. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but she stood up. Maybe they would let her out? Or...maybe they were even more dangerous, maybe they were there to hurt her? She cringed, but in the end decided to try calling out anyways, though it took a few tries. Eventually someone heard her, and a voice drifted down saying they were going to get her out. Light, the grate removed, and grim faces drifting above uniforms.
"What is it with Ragady and kids? God, she can't be more than 13." one of them ask, and arms reach down to pull her up,
"You're gonna be okay." Adella at least hears bits and peices, but it's all fuzzy. There's a nice lady officer who says her name is Montoya. She was trying to ask some questions, but Adella just clung to her, thankful to be out of the small space. Montoya returned the hug, and then gently took her outside to the peramedics. They wrapped her in a blanket, and Montoya gave a reassuring nod.
"We're going to find Ragady, she's not going to get away with this." Montoya reassured her, but Adella's eyes only grew wide at that.
"N-No! They'll put her back in Arkham, with me! I don't wanna live with her, what if she puts me in the hole again? You gotta send her somewhere else! You gotta-" Montoya grasped her flailing hands to calm her down some, which seemed to work. Though as Montoya began to speak, Adella's gaze drifted off to the side, she stared at something that Montoya could not see when she followed the gaze. The world became a fog to her. Adella only heard mumbles, murmers, and then finally words again,
"-We'll see what we can do. I know this is a lot to ask, but if you could find the strength to testify against Ragady, we could-" A pleasant smile had slipped to Adella's face, and she gave a completely blank look to Montoya when she mentioned Ragady.
"Who?"
End note:
Just in case it wasn't clear enough, this story serves to illustrate a trait Adella has. In order to preserve what little sanity she has left, Adella subconsciously forgets anything horrible that happens once the situation is over with. Triggers can make her vaguely remember, but she won't be able to recall details. She won't try to remember either.