Sorry it took so long to update D: I need to find more time...

And sorry it's so short :/

Chapter 4: The Magic-Stealing Hourglass

He was watching me.

Don't ask me why, but he was always watching me with this half-smile, half-frown. I tried to not let it bother me, but it did creep me out a bit. Especially since he hated me. God knows what he was thinking as those dark circles stared.

The metal door of our shared cell opened, and 'Dimitri' stood, all muscle, in the doorway.

"Miser wants you." He grunted, his voice deep and gruff.

"I'm sure he does." I replied. In the corner of my eye, I could see Sanguine smile slightly.

Dimitri closed his (bloody massive) hand around my arm. He pulled me to my feet, his grip on me tight, too tight. I yelped, and he pushed me out of the cell, nudging me to get me walking. I knew I couldn't fight, as I still had no magic (from what I'd gathered over my past few days there, magic was disabled in this building unless you had this arm-band thing) and I doubt five punches from me would compare with one punch from him.

He guided me by putting a firm hand on my shoulder and steering me in the right direction. We finally stopped, we were in a large and empty, with the exception of one wooden chair, room. Dimitri closed the door behind us, and ordered me to sit. I decided I might as well, so I fell onto the not-particularly-comfortable chair and waited, drumming my finger tips on the not-particularly-comfortable armrest.

Not long later, Avarice Miser strode in. He was pressing his phone to his ear and talking.

"Thanks. That's all." He said to whoever was on the other side, and hung up. He then turned to me, a pleasant smile on his face. "Miss Cain," he greeted me.

I didn't give him any smiles back.

"I see you're making yourself comfortable." He said, after a brief silence. I nodded. "Good. So, let's get going, shall we?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Going?"

"Get this started, more like."

"Right. And what is 'this'?"

Avarice stared at me for a few seconds, then smiled again. "Right, you don't know my ingenious plan, do you?"

I shook my head slowly.

"Ok. So, you know the story of the Unfriendly Man, don't you?"

"Wait. Is that actually his name?"

"It most certainly is. Well, the man I was talking to on the phone just a minute ago also supplied me with a special machine last week."

"And?"

At that moment, Avarice nodded to Dimitri, who promptly left the room, and continued what he had been telling me. "This machine just happens to be the same machine that the Unfriendly Man was made a victim to."

The door opened again and Dimitri shuffled through, holding a large hourglass with little tubes coming from the bottom.

I raised my eyebrows.

"And here it is." Avarice smiled, gesturing to the hourglass as Dimitri put it down next to me. "This little beauty connects to that chair you happen to be sitting on."

I looked down. I couldn't see where it might possibly connect. And the chair was wood, which left me confused. "How?" I asked.

"You'll see." He looked at a watch on his wrist. "Hurry, Dimitri, we haven't long."

Dimitri was bent down next to the chair. He mumbled something and pushed a tube against the leg of the chair. I watched as the tube melted into the wood.

"Interesting." I muttered.

"The process takes a few days, and goes in steps. Each day you'll be brought here, work will be done, and then you'll be taken back to your cell."

"How many days?"

"I'm not sure. When the hourglass is full. Your magic takes the form of grains of black sand, you see."

I sat, watching the tubes be plugged into my chair. I suddenly felt myself go stiff, and when I tries to flex my fingers, I found that I couldn't. My eyes flickered up to Avarice, who stood, smirking.

"Why is Sanguine here?" I asked after a brief silence.

"Sanguine? The Texan? An old friend of mine. Well, not a friend. He annoys me. I made a deal where I would pay him a large sum of money in return for Miss Low. When we met, I took Miss Low and kidnapped him as well."

I couldn't stop myself from snorting. "You kidnapped him?"

"Hit him around the head. Rather like your friend, the Skeleton."

I laughed a bit more as the image formed in my head. I continued to sit there until I felt my chest tighten. I looked at the hourglass as Avarice muttered "here we go," and saw the black sand slowly start to slide to the bottom. I was watching my magic fade, and drain form my body. It made me feel odd inside.

My chest untightened, and I felt unexpected pain spread throughout my body. Hot, white pain.

I screamed.

.oOo.

Sanguine's POV

I was awoken by Miss Valkyrie Cain bein' chucked back into our li'l cell. I heard the prison door close, and looked at Cain's unconscious form. I couldn't see properly, thanks to how dark it was in there, but she looked pretty beaten up from what I could see. I still hated Cain and all, but I could help but feel some sorta degree of sympathy for her. I suppose the fact that I hated Miser helped me feel that sympathy. If I had did that to her, it'd be fine, of course. Or if I liked the guy, then it'd all be good.

But then, I guessed, if I liked the guy, I wouldn't be in that damn cell.

I sighed. Maybe it was her age. I mean, how old was she- 18, 19? Ok, so she's getting on to be an adult and everythin', but she was still pretty young to be feelin' that kinda pain.

I dunno. It seemed a bit weird, thinkin' those thoughts, seein' as I hated her.

I heard somethin' drip. Mighta been her blood. I shrugged, and started to hum a little tune that'd been in my head for a while. Hey, I was bored. Until I heard a soft murmur come from Cain's direction.

"What?" I said, wondering if she'd just been, like, sleep talkin' or somethin'.

"Stop... Singing." She answered, slightly louder.

"I'm not singin'. I'm hummin'."

Her head tilted up slightly so she could give me a pained glare. I grinned at her.

"Stop... humming then."

I obliged, and there was quiet.

"You okay?" I asked, after a bit.

"Oh yeah. I'm... fine. Just dandy." She replied, her voice heavily laced with sarcasm.

I chuckled. "Good to know."

More silence.

"So, er... Did you hear that drip? Like water, or somethin'."

"No." She said. It seemed kinda hurried though- like she was hidin' somethin'.

Was she cryin'?

I shifted in the position I was in. My back was gettin' sore. I went back to thinkin' though all-too-familiar thoughts of Will I ever get out? as Cain fell asleep. It took a while, but eventually, I drifted off as well.

THERE YOU GO :D

The little Sympathetic!Sanguine was just to show that he can feel good feelings. He hasn't got any feelings for her yet, definitely not. He's barely spoken to her since she arrived. And when they have, they've basically argued XD

I'll try and update soon..

Hey I just met you,

And that this isn't really that insane,

But I'm going to assume you like my story

(Ok, maybe this is a little insane... XD)

So review maybe?

Or favourite. Or follow. I don't really mind.

Falling x :)