Chapter Thirty-Six- Wreathed in Flames
"Get up." A stern sounding man commanded Aine. She was in a black stone cell, with a single bed, unable to see anything past her brother and a white robed man. "I said, get up sinner."
"I'm up." She groaned, standing up. So, Ford was a Liberator... She was in her normal attire, with the exception of her Pokeball belt. "What do you want?"
"Hey, Sis." Agni greeted, condescendingly. "How are you?"
"Was sleeping just fine, until you showed that ugly mug." She insulted Agni. He grimaced in anger.
"We've come to speak with you, sinner." The man continued. "You have abandoned the path that Lord Arceus has forged for us. You must be purified."
"Pft. Yeah, okay." Aine snorted. "I'm impressed you can say that with a straight face, when a murderer is standing right next to you."
"Once more, Lady Aine." The man persisted. "Why did you join the corrupted New Order? Have you forgotten the salvation we handed you?"
"Salvation?" Aine snarled. "You mean lies. Deceit. Honestly, I can't believe you tricked Sotiria…"
"Lies?" Agni chuckled. "We never lied to her. We just… omitted some details. She listens rather well, when you say 'someone wanted him dead.'"
"That person being you." Aine frowned. "If I see her, you'll regret this."
"Too bad." Agni smirked. "Too bad that you're in a cell."
"You'll be spared, for now. We'll pray that you'll come to your senses." The man sighed, leaving with Agni. She waited for them to leave, before slowly inspecting the cell bars. They were incredibly sturdy, made from something fireproof. However, one bar near the center wiggled ever slightly. She checked her surroundings, before giving the bar a swift boot. It barely budged, let alone broke. She tried again, to no success. She kept at it until a man in another cell spoke up.
"Can you quiet down?" He groaned. He appeared to be a middle aged man with a noticeable gut. "Trying to sleep here."
"Sorry, I'm only trying to escape." She snarked. "Just shut up and let me do my thing."
"Look, you'll just get attacked by the guards." The man argued. "Can you take on a fully grown Gyarados by yourself?"
"I-" Aine paused, returning to her cell's bed. "Fine…"
"Good… You'll need the rest." He empathized. "They work us to the bone here."
"...'Night…" Aine sighed, closing her eyes.
…...
"I want you to take care of the thing." The head professor informed Abram. The black haired, green eyed child from the lab stood beside her. "It'll be difficult with officials coming to inspect our work with it running around. So, what better than to say it's your child."
"Why me?" He interrogated. "I'm last person who'll make a good parent."
"Maybe." She shrugged. "It'll be an interesting experiment."
"Whatever." He groaned. The head scientist nodded, taking her leave. The child entered warily, dressed in a black cloak. "Stay." He commanded, causing her to freeze. He left for his room, picking up one of her shirts from the ground. She left a few of them lying around when she left. He just never got around to cleaning them. He went back to the child, tossing the blue collared button up to her. "Put that on." She awkwardly replaced her cloak with the shirt. It was many sizes too big for her, fitting like a dress. "So, what's your name?" She shrugged. "Can you talk?"
"...I'm not allowed to…" She whispered. "...Will I get yelled at?"
"As long as you shut it when my boss shows up, then no." He groaned. "I'll get you more clothes later, alright?"
"...Okay…" She nodded. "And… They call me… Experiment 000…"
"Triple zero?" He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. It's nighttime. And you were found at night… So, I'll just call you Nox."
"...N-Ox?" She enunciated.
"It means night…" He shook his head. "Or would you rather I call you Zero?"
"I… like Nox…" She smiled, awkwardly.
"Good." He asserted. "Now, go to sleep." He commanded, pointing to the couch. He let out a groan, before heading back to his own bedroom.
…...
Nox shot up out of her bed, panting in shock. She slowly maneuvered her way to her bathroom, washing her face. She looked into the mirror, observing her pale skin, her emerald eyes, her raven hair. She tilted her head to observe the slight point in her ears. She walked away, looking into her wardrobe. Inside, she saw white robes, a cloak, and a collared shirt… blue in color. She carefully reached for it, placing it over her skin tight suit. It fit her almost perfectly… She felt something tug at her chest, before tearing the shirt off as someone knocked on her door. She instantly materialized her armor. "Come in."
"Milady." Sigurd walked in, carefully. "I've returned…"
"Where were you?" She interrogated.
"I… was dealing with New Order." He explained. "I'm sorry."
"Forget it." She brushed off. "They are your enemy, remember that."
"Yes." Sigurd nodded. "You freed me. You offered me what I wanted. You offered me my revenge."
"...Yes. The Professor did promise that." She confirmed. "Revenge on the man who took the one you loved."
"Siegfried Amity." Sigurd repeated. "I will have my revenge on him. If New Order stands in my way, then they'll be destroyed as well."
"...Good." Nox nodded. "Now, leave."
"Milady…" He parted, leaving her alone. She slowly retrieved the shirt from the ground, staring at it intensely.
…...
"Good morning, maggots!" A stern woman wailed, banging on a metal pole. A group of armed Liberators began to open the cells, escorting the prisoners out. Agni approached her cell, smirking as usual.
"Hey, Sis." He greeted. "I got permission to work you even extra hard! Hope you love carrying bricks up a flight of stairs~!"
"Oh, are you too weak to help?" Aine tempted.
"Nah, I just have better things to do." He denied, opening her cell. He gestured for her to get in front of him. She began to walk down the corridor, exiting into blinding light. The surroundings consisted of three towers surrounding a single one in a triangle, connected by large walls. An ominous red light shone from the top of the farthest tower.
"Keep moving." Agni shoved her forward. She continued along, passing a group of starving workers being whipped. She made her way to a workshop, where numerous prisoners shaped stone into large blocks. "Have fun."
"What?" Aine interrogated.
"You'll be carrying those…" Agni pointed to the blocks, before pointing to the center tower. "To there."
"Why not get a Machamp?" She stated.
"We're Liberators." He grinned. "Pokemon don't serve us. People serve us."
"...Hypocrite." Aine mumbled as she carted a stone away, hastily. The man from the other cell assisted her.
"Hey." He greeted. "Don't push yourself. It's a long day."
"...Okay." She sighed, slowing down.
"I'm Indigo Wake." He introduced himself. "What about you?"
"Aine… It means radiant…" She groaned.
"Heh…" He chuckled, before noticing a glare from her. "Sorry, I have a daughter around your age. She really doesn't like that I named her after 'lake'..."
"Hmm." Aine averted her gaze. "Do… you get along?"
"I guess." He smiled, nostalgically. "She really tries to follow in my footsteps. I'll support her all the way, of course. That's why I'm gonna live through this."
"...I see." Aine mumbled. Guess not all families are broken…
"So, do you know the red headed admin?"
"He's my brother." Aine elaborated. "He's an egotistical brat who thinks that anyone who challenges his pride deserves to be beaten by him. He'll kill them without a second thought, without considering how it'll affect those around him. I'd forgive the one or the other if he didn't also relish in the glory of gutting another human being."
"Got it. Touchy subject." He acknowledged. "Tell me about yourself."
"I'm the best." She gloated. "Anyone who says otherwise, I'll kick the hell out of."
"...Pardon me, but…" He sighed. "Isn't that the same as your brother?"
"...So?"
"Never mind…" He continued. "Let's get along, alright?"
"Whatever…" Aine ignored.
…...
Back in her cell, her brother and the man from before approached her. She sat up, glaring at Agni. "What do you want?"
"We've come to check one last time..." The man sighed. "Will you come to your senses?"
"And join you?" She tilted her head. "Hell no."
"Sweet." Agni grinned, turning to the man. "Told you she wouldn't."
"Very well." He groaned, opening the cell. Numerous other Liberators walked in to drag her away. "Then we must extract information about New Order from you."
"What!?" She growled.
"Tor-Ture." Agni enunciated. "Oh, and don't worry about your Infernape. I already handled it."