Plastic shackles.

"You are becoming shortsighted in your allotted task," A voice hissed at the Player.

Visually there was nothing. Something began, fading into view. The Player could see herself , as if detached from her body, standing in a space that seemed blank. Blank except for the colour orange underneath her feet.

"What task do you refer to?" She replied imperturbably, to whom she was conversing with, she had no knowledge.

"With the Batter," the voice spat, seething and impatient, "You were assigned to directing the Batter in his task of purification upon this tainted land. You are taking too much time, fooling about." The empty voice spoke of her important mission.

"What does it matter? I seem to be having more difficulty when I advance further with each puzzle's resolution, it is not a lack of input on my behalf..." She replied in a sharp voice at having her task challenged.

"Like we said before, you are becoming shortsighted. Do not THINK about anything, just do it. It is not so complicated, we believed it would be little of an obstacle for you."

The Player was now sneering and responded with fiery hostility, "And obstacle? Purifying this tainted land? Why is it then they all refuse? I keep getting asked if what I am doing is truly purification! One Elsen in the library.." She started slowly, remembering what he said each time an attempt was made to speak to him.

"He said the walls have ears, and that they could listen, but they could not speak back.. He talks of something someone once told him! He speaks of the wall protecting the books within the library! He then continues to say about how we could be protecting something without knowing! He repeats empty words someone told him!"

"What is it you are getting at, Player.."

"What I am getting at is that there is something more!" She straightened her arms and flexed her fists, emotions welling too much to the surface to stop them. After a moment's pause, she began again, in a dangerous voice of concern, " I begin to doubt this mission, I see no purpose to how 'purifying' this place will become something of better production when there is NOTHING LEFT TO DWELL UPON THIS SO CALLED PURITY!"She shouted, voicing her questions and her duty.

"Nothing will live on this land if it has to be purified. It is all tainted.. therefore it must be removed.."

"But what good will that do?! If there is nothing left to benefit that purity, what is the meaning in this mission?" There was silence before the reply.

"Do not question any further! Continue to do so, and we can always find someone more.. suited to finish where you have failed us.."

Her emotions boiled as she snarled silently, seething with doubt and the stinging pain of being black-mailed into something with no light of escape if she tried.
"... I understand what you say to me..." She replied. Careful to conceal the snarl her mouth was pulled into that even began to ache. She was disgusted at being given so many lies and just to have the blind pull back over her eyes.

"Continue, Player. Remember, there is something at the end that will be worth all your time..."

Between the words, eyes were fixed upon her to the right. Tired, concerned and gentle eyes. They stared at the Player. The controlling voice was unaware of their presence as it drifted off.

Her vision obscured again to nothingness of an empty void. Along with the eyes. Unlike the Nothingness, there was nothing, no where to go, nothing to do. Except wait for herself to gain consciousness once more.


And wake again, she did.
She sat up from her bed, clutching her head and felt gravely ill. Ill from being played, despite being allocated as the Player.
Ill from the overwhelming emotions that were dismissed by that voice in the void of her dreams.

It felt real enough. Her hands were sore from being clenched too tightly for too long. Her head was swimming with nausea that had no sight of ending.

She looked around to see the Batter awake, sitting next to her with a concern look disturbing his features. "Dear Player, what appears to be troubling you?" He asked, searching her face to stir a truthful response.

"Batter, if I do tell you.. Time would be against us.." She sighed with the snarl still creasing her nose and lips.

"I know.. I heard everything that was said to you... I was there.. Did you not see me standing beside you, like I always do?"

She signed into her hands upon realising where he was talking about. "Yes, I saw you there with me.."She paused her thoughts, removing the white tunic from her dark body and returning it to the concerned athlete. "We must continue.. you heard what I was told.. I'd rather not be replaced considering how far we have come now.."

The Batter shook his head lightly as he took hold of her and moved her to stand on her feet out of the bed. "Yes.. bit now, we have another mission.. It is still the same; purification. But the prize has changed.. The Elsen in the library.. you said he was repeating things that were told to him.. I assume you mean someone or something knows of this mission..?" She laboured another tired breath.

"Yes.. someone knows more than we have been informed.." She said, wearily with the consideration that her progress was being monitored.

The Batter nodded and held his Player close to himself.
"Then our mission shall begin.. OUR mission.. disband that control they have over you. Leave them and come with me.. Leave the confines you stay within to guide me, not be guided by some force you trust not..
When you do, we have work to do within the library."

She sniffled quietly against his chest and put a hand gently to his shoulder.
"If.. continuing to allow something to control me, were to mean our mission.. of purification is completed.. and that would then mean there is nothing left.. nothing but a plateau of what once was.. then I would rather take with our own mission, in the hopes something is left.. and something is answered to those pleading whispers in the Nothingness.. Then yes, I free myself from the binds of the purification mission. I will go with you Batter, I will always chose you; I will always be your Player."

She said, relying on the Batter to be beside her to weigh her choice, more to remind herself that no matter what she would have chosen, the Batter would have stood by her without any doubt. He always has.

Now she was doubting something that had control over her, something had to be done. Nothing was to be left otherwise.. so at least if damage is done, it is not as bad compared to continuing.

"And I will always chose you, you are my Player, that's all that need be." He said, holding her tightly.

"Come, guide me. We must investigate this further within the library.."
"Godspeed, Batter," She whispered into his body.