"I'll try to make this quick" said Mathew "first try I attacked my keeper and ran. They threw me in the pit for three weeks until they found a stronger keeper."

"Matthias?"

"Yea…but it wouldn't have mattered anyway…I got too scared to try that again…few days later, I broke my glass cage in the middle of the night; of course it didn't shatter completely so I was still inside when they drugged me. Next day, I woke up in the care center with a stitched fist and ran again before the keepers caught me and threw me back in the pit. Few weeks later, I tricked the keepers into believing I escaped and waited for them to open the cage. I only managed to get past the dome before I returned to the pit."

"Did you always end up in the pit?" I asked.

"I practically lived there the first few years I got here" he said and I frowned.

"How long have you been here?"

"Longer than most" he said just like the first time I met him. "Do you want to hear the rest or not?" I nodded and he continued.

"A few months later, I got sold to a pure. I made it out of the gates before he found me and returned me to the institute. That's when the mistress realized I could be useful at the show and now I'm 'the shadow boy'. That was the furthest I've ever gotten; it's a lot harder to escape as a freak. The week after in the show, I bit the keeper dragging me to the cage and locked him in instead. I ran again and you can figure out the rest." Mathew sighed and closed his eyes before talking again "there isn't much you can do other than run…so I have long since given up…"

Neither of us said a word after that…there wasn't much to say either way. I rested my head against the wall and brought a hand up to trace the scar under my eyes. When was the last time I ever saw a creature out on the streets with the scar? I don't think I had...So what made me so sure there was even a way to escape? Mathew had been a toy at first and by his experience it had been easier to try to escape, so our chances as freaks are probably nonexistent.

"So now you know" said Lovino with a scowl "any ideas on how to get out, genius?"

"Hey you can't expect me to come up with something on the spot!" I shouted back. Lovino scoffed and crossed his arms. "I'll think of something soon enough…for now, let's just focus on staying under the radar."

Mathew let out an airy laugh "funny you say that…the day isn't over yet. We have an examination once we get to the institute."

"Are you kidding me?!" I whined and slumped down on the floor "why though!?"

"They have to make sure the attractions aren't…damaged."

I groaned and threw an arm over my eyes. The last thing I wanted was to go back into that white room and have some cold machine examine every inch of my body; but either way it didn't matter as I had no choice.

We continued in silence after that…Slowly starting to fall asleep by the gentle movement of whatever was transporting us. As we got to the institute, the door was opened and our hands were chained again. Lovino was taken away by the tan keeper while Mathew and I went a different way. We followed the line of freaks and keepers as we waited to go in the stupid white room. One by one we went in and like I expected we were stripped down and a cold machine inspected us from head to toe. As much as I hated being in there, I was glad to get rid of that ridiculous outfit and glad to have the black shirt and shorts back.

As the keeper dragged me back to my cage, I rubbed my arms to try to get rid of the symbols…but all I got out of it were red marks forming around the paint. I left it alone once we got the basement and welcomed the darkness with pleasure as the glass door shut behind me and I slumped down in my corner.

The day was finally over.

I closed my eyes for a few minutes before opening them again. I was still alone in the cage…where was Mathew?

oooooOOOOOooooo

The day started as if everything was right with the world….the outside world at least. We were dragged out of our cages, forced to swallow that lame excuse for food, and thrown inside the dome to have the city mock us from the other side of the glass. The creatures were complaining less than usual as it was one of those days when the smog and clouds in the sky were nowhere in sight and the warmth made everyone forget we were still rejects. Unfortunately for me, I was forced to take cover under the broken down table at the edge of the dome as the gentle light burned my skin. Still I wasn't entirely safe as the few cracks let the light pierce though and turn my skin a gruesome red. It was a lovely addition to the terrifying symbols that refused to leave my body. I hissed at the pain and brought my knees closer to my chest. I couldn't believe I was thinking this, but I couldn't wait to go back inside.

"Hiding from anything?" a pair of feet blocked my view from under the table before kneeling down to reveal Mathew's bruise colored eyes. "Missed me?" It seemed even he was in a better mood than usual.

"Sure…and I'll have you know I only hide when it is absolutely necessary!" I said earning a smile from the other.

"So avoiding a sun burn in absolutely necessary?"

"It is with my skin…" I said shifting again so the rays hit a different spot.

"Aw come on I'm one of the palest here and I'm not burning yet. You should be fine."

"Are you kidding me? I'm basically translucent!" I said with a grin "honestly they should have turned me into a vampire at the show instead of a demon or some shit."

"Don't give them ideas" he said staring straight into nothing again.

My eyes shifted to his left ear were the blood drop pendant was hanging from. I frowned in confusion as I looked at his other ear where small stitches replaced the earring. "What happened to your ear?"

Mathew twitched and his eyes focused once more "…I ripped out my earring…" he said slowly.

"Why?"

"I didn't exactly do it myself…" Mathew clenched his fists and looked down.

"Did someone do something?" I found myself asking without knowing why.

"No it was an accident…"

"Can you tell me?"

He didn't say anything for a while but I didn't ask again. I only stared. "I-I don't know…I panicked when the machine came in the room so I tried to get out…and I guess my earring got caught somewhere 'cuz it ripped off my ear and I got sent to the care center…"

"Stitches on the ear don't take all night" I said without getting a response back "you got sent to the pit didn't you?"

"Can we just drop it?" he whispered "it doesn't really matter; it's not the first time it's happened…"

I nodded and we both sat in silence. He was right…It didn't matter. I shouldn't be worrying about it; we had more important things to think about. I didn't care about him when I first got here…he was just the boy with the sickly colored eyes, so why should I care about him now? We made an agreement to help each other get out and that's the end of it. There was nothing more to it.

"Alright, answer me this….would it be possible to escape through the pit?"

"Depends…" he said and I raised an eyebrow "can you survive being electrocuted?"

oooooOOOOOooooo

Soon the clouds and smog returned to their place in the sky and I was able to come out from under the old table. I looked at my arms and legs and hissed at the small pain it caused when I moved them. I really hoped it wouldn't stay like that for long. Everyone slowed down as the warm glow disappeared and left behind the usual cold; however the outside world functioned like it always did….people walking around and staring when they pasted by our glass prison.

The keepers came to collect us and we made our way back inside the institute. The slowness of this place was dragging me crazy as the only sound that was heard was the clank of the chains as we moved like obedient dogs to our cages.

The darkness of the basement was cut by the small beam of moon light that managed to pass through the clouds and come through the small windows. It was the only thing I focused on as I tried to sleep as trying to find a way out was harder when you couldn't see what you were trying to escape. I hated it. But soon I found myself opening my eyes to the faint morning light and the face of the still sleeping blonde.

Chained again.

Dragged again.

Thrown out again.

My life was starting to become dull.

oooooOOOOOooooo

"Good to know that fucking sun is hiding again" I said as I stretched my arms over my head.

"Guess it's either one or the other…." Said Mathew looking at the sky as he lay down with his arms extended to his sides.

"Good to know I'm not the only one getting the life sucked out of his body…"

"Get away from my spot you bastard!" Lovino yelled as he marched towards us. He wasn't chained to one spot this time so I wondered if he had become less violent. I took three steps to the left and the brunet slumped down next to Mathew with a puff. I sighed and looked towards the door where creatures where still walking in.

"It seems we have a new bunch" I said as I noticed that a few of them were not branded yet and the gash under their eyes was still bright red

"I hope they're all freaks…the last thing I need is more competition." Lovino said as he ripped blades of grass one by one.

"Competition?" I repeated "I thought you said you wanted to get out?"

"I know what I said freak!" Lovino snapped his head at me and crossed his arms "I never said how I wanted to get out. If I get sold to some idiot then fuck it, at least I'll be out of this place."

I frowned but didn't say anything. What else could I have expected from a toy? Lovino turned his head towards the door with his scowl firmly in place, observing the new poor souls that walked in with shame in fear. Suddenly, he was on his feet. Mathew sat up slowly and turned his head towards the brunet.

"What's the matter?"

"….He got caught" Lovino said before running towards the small group. Mathew and I followed him and soon we saw who the other had run to. It was a boy, much like him in size and build, with a lighter shade of the same mud brown hair and sick eyes.

The boy's eyes widened and filled with tears as he brought a hand up towards Lovino who simply snatched his wrist and brought it down with force. The two were locked in a staring contest as the doors closed and the crowd dispersed. Mathew and I stayed behind.

"You let them catch you…" Lovino finally said in a monotone voice, eyes looking sick.

"….Lovi I-"

"After what I did to guide them away from you, you let them catch you!" he said raising his voice and lowering his head.

"I'm sorry!" cried the other as he started shaking. "I managed on my own for three years but I just-"

"Gave up trying?! Is that it?!"

"No, I just couldn't go on!"

"You-"

"That's enough!" interrupted Mathew in a voice much louder than his own. Lovino turned his head and glared at him with tainted eyes. "…you're going to get yourself locked away again if you don't calm down."

Lovino didn't say anything, but let go of the boy's wrist before walking away. Mathew let out a puff or air and relaxed his posture making himself seem just a bit smaller. He looked at the boy in front of him and smiled.

"You're Lovino's brother, aren't you?" he asked and the boy nodded in return straightening his back and forcing a small smile.

"My name is Feliciano!"

SUUUUUP PEEPS DUCKLING HERE QUACK QUACK! (late) HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY NEW YEAR EVERYONE XD anyone else did nothing these past two weeks? WOOOOO *cries*

OKEY DOKEY so I think my chapters are starting to become a bit longer YAY! I can't wait to get to the good stuff but I can't have that without this stuff happening first or else the story would move on way to fast and I can't deal with it ending fast ANYWAYS WOOOO WE HAVE ANOTHER CHARACTER THROWN IN and is that a trace of feelings I spot? WHO KNOWS! Anyways hope you guys enjoyed this chapter I'll see you bbs next chapter MAMA DUCKLING OUT QUACK!