AN) I have permission from Firecracker to use Tora. Any other chapter off of this arc will have the sing BTC, meaning Bellatora Chapter.

Where was he? It was the first thing that popped into his mind. Was he lost? Yes—he spun around the hallway, never had he been in this hall. Master was not going to be pleased if he had to find him. Again.

Things had been getting better, he guessed. Master had stopped full out beating him, his tone was kinder. And his mask wasn't always on, and sometimes—he would smile. Like he was proud. He even started to tell Richard he was proud of him! That idea brought a tiny smile to his face as he made his way through the uncharted area.

"Well, what do we have here?" A voice startled it. It was alien—not belonging to Master or Mr. Wintergreen—instead it was female.

Its owner towered over him, her eyes swept over him in a curious check—they looked like hard chocolate, then they softened. She brushed part of her long hair behind her ear—offering the smallest of smiles.

"You're stuck here too?" She asked, crouching down to his level, tenderly touching his shoulder.

"N-No. I live with M-Master." He stammered, inching away from the strange girl. She didn't wear Master's emblem as he did. Her outfit dark, simple clothing. A T-shirt and a baggy pair of athletic pants.

"So—you're the one he keeps bragging about." She smirked slightly. "The boy who never disobeys, the one who shows respect and all times. The boy who is grateful."

Had Master really said all those things about him? A flame of pride swelled in his chest. Had all those kind words been spoken about him? It seemed impossible, but he could read the girl's eyes. They harbored no intention of a lie.

But she could read his eyes too. The way the sparked with pride was just sick. Slade had managed to twist this kid's mindset to only find happiness when Slade gave him approval? She could care less—it was just an attitude she had gotten when she got older. Yeah, when she was little she wanted Slade to be proud of her. To stop with the whip and mean names—but as time went on it was clear she was never going to be 'perfect'. And in all honesty, Slade's 'perfect' was impossible to reach, so why even bother? His opinion didn't matter to her anymore—but to this poor kid it did. What was his name? Robert, Ryan, Ron? Uhm—maybe it was a 'G'. Garret? Gavin, Gandalf? No—it was an 'R' name…'G' was a last name or something.

"What's your name?"

"R-Richard." Ah-ha! It was an 'R' name! He sounded really scared though, and he was still backing away. So she smiled—the cocky smirk was gone, replaced with the sweetest smile she could muster up.

"My name's Tora."

The boy nodded, glancing around him, before making sheepish eye contact once more. "I-I'm lost."

"Oh? Where'd you come from?"

He pointed behind him, "From t-the r-right side." Gestured to the hall branching off toward the right.

She nodded, tenderly taking up his hand. "Come on, I'll try to help you."

"T-Thank you." Nice manners, but weird on a kid. He was super cute—his little stutter was adorable! She had never really felt this way about someone before, but she wanted to protect Richard.

They walked in silence, their footsteps the only sound to cut through the air. The footsteps multiplied, Richard tensing but preening ahead to see who was coming. And in seconds his hand left hers and his knees hit the floor.

Slade. Of course.

"Stupid kneeling." No way was she going to kneel. The kid shouldn't even kneel—but he did.

Slade's glare landed on her, but she didn't back down.

"Richard, you were supposed to be in training seven minutes ago."

"I-I'm sorry Master. I g-got lost." He tried to avoid pain. She braced herself, waiting for his scream.

"It's alright, come along boy." Huh? Slade was being…nice. Slade wasn't nice. Nope. Not one bit. Richard obeyed, timidly standing next to her. Following after Slade. "And you—get back to your room. I haven't summoned you yet, brat." There was the Slade she knew!

And soon—the Richard she would know.

V

Once a day he came. His little blue eyes sparkling as they just walked. Sometimes they spared. One time—she actual got to have a sleepover with the kid.

They weren't supposed to have met—she went on mission while he trained, and when he was ready to join her he would. They weren't supposed to be friends—no attachments. But it was too late for that now!

"S-Stop…" He whimpered, Tora propped herself up from her cot—peering at the boy laying in the sleeping back decorated with blue, red and white symbols and giant letter 'A's. "M-Master no!" She sank down next to him, shaking his shoulders softly. "PLEASE NO!" He cried. Her heart ached, as she shook him.

"Come on Dickie, its okay. Wake up buddy, wake up!"

His arms wrapped around her neck, his tears wet her hair. He clung onto her. This was hard for Dickie. Slade was actually treating him decently, but he was so confused. Was he worthless or special? Was he supposed to be beaten or cared for?

Tor hated seeing him like this. He was special, he should be cared for. Every tear he shed—she hated. He deserved better. She hated when he was like this.

V

His back was stiff. His eyes fixed ahead on the blue wall. His childhood room. With the toys and everything. Never been touched since he had been rescued from them. And he was stuck again.

"Stupid League. Took me from Master, took my sister." He growled. They took Tora—his sister. She had been gone for five years. FIVE! He missed her. Master had been never….angry when she had been taken. He was curt and moody for five weeks afterward. He would sneer more and his smacks were sharper and more often.

Never the less, Master still has like his father. He still cared for him, the League was still wrong. But Richard still had a little hole where Tora had been that hadn't been filled.

There was a knock at his door. "Enter." He said crisply. The newer team members would enter anyway, to torment and tease him. He didn't look at the door, opting to fiddle with the inhibitor collar. Jordan had fought to have it taken off, but safety first—that was what he was told.

"Well—"His head jerked up. She smirked at him. Her clothes still loose, her eyes still like chocolate and he hair still curly and soft looking. But her eyes had more life, and Kaldur was holding her hand. His mouth dropped, words weakening against his throat. "What do we have here?"

His feet flew, he rocketed into her. She smelled with coco, and cinnamon. Her arms wrapped around him holding him tight.

"I-I thought I'd never see you again!" A tear rolled down his cheek.

"I couldn't miss out on seeing my baby bro now could I?" She teased, wiping the tear away. "Come on Dickie—Megan made cake pops. Remember? They were on my 'Freedom Bucket List'."

"To eat them with me." He finished. She smiled, truly smiled—and he did too.

His fingers interlocked with hers. The glares La'gaan gave didn't hurt. The scowl from Bart paid him no mind. His sister was here. Maybe—maybe 'here' wasn't so bad after all.