Have y'all ever seen Cloverfield? Because the monster in that hella looks like the medium (#reallifenightmares).
Starry Skies
By Gold Sparrow
ELEVENTH ARC: Fanalis-Amala
CHAPTER 34: Family Ties
When Catrina leaves Sindria, she does it with some reluctance. Despite her excitement over the prospect of seeing her family in Reim again, she still doesn't want to leave her adopted family behind. Yamuraiha gives Catrina a bag full of clean clothes and a few sweets for the trip, standing beside Yunan who pats Catrina's head and smiles enigmatically. They have been incredibly kind the entire time she's lived with them, acting as surrogate parents for her. She's going to miss them, but she knows that they'll be rooting for her the whole time.
Morgiana is next to say goodbye, and they share a hug before she leaves, holding onto one another tightly. Catrina squeezes the other Fanalis's hands, eyes sparkling.
"Be safe, alright? The Fanalis aren't treated well down in Cathargo."
Morgiana nods seriously, her eyes glowing at the prospect of seeing their homeland.
"I'll do my best."
Someone taps her shoulder. She turns and meets Masrur's gaze. Her cheeks heat up drastically, and she nearly dies at the physical response her body makes at seeing him. She gripes internally about the struggles of romance, not quite understanding yet what exactly she's doing and feeling. She has an idea about how Masrur feels from his words at the Maharajan, but at the same time she also worries that he'll forget about her while she's gone despite his promise to her. His hand hovers over her head before it drops on her shoulder.
"Take your time," He tells her, eyes staring through hers. It's like he can tell exactly what's worrying her, and it causes a distinctly warm and buzzing feeling to rise up in her chest. She suddenly feels like bursting out into dance or running a few laps around Sindria. She settles instead for a bright smile.
"Thanks," She replies. "Don't get into trouble while I'm gone."
It's then that they both notice Sinbad, Zeina and 3/7ths of the Seven Generals watching them with what can only be described as "pervy" looks.
"Oh my God," She gasps, embarrassment flooding her. Masrur stares at his King and Generals for a moment before leaning down to peck Catrina's cheek. Before Catrina can react a serious of catcalls rises up from their peers along with a distinct "kyaa~~!" from Pisti.
Catrina almost faints, stumbling back into a pair of arms belonging to Centola.
"Oh my," Centola giggles a bit, wrapping her arms around Catrina in a hug. The Fanalis-Amala looks over her shoulder at the older girl, her face completely red. "I see you're trying to win sweet, naive Catrina's heart, huh Masrur?"
Masrur doesn't even blink.
"Yeah."
"That's brave! I...Just wouldn't mention that to her father. He's a bit…"
"Completely overprotective?" Eren supplies, strolling up.
"Exactly!"
"What're we talkin' about? I jus' heard ya mention Dad-of-the-year." Centola nods to Masrur.
"Catrina and Masrur are dating!"
"W-we aren't dating…" Catrina weakly protests, still unable to compute what's going around her. She feels very light headed, like all the air was sucked out of her.
Eren just about has an aneurysm.
"You're datin' my little sister?!"
"Yes."
"...You have balls," Eren's accent disappears entirely, replaced with a menacing voice. "The only way you're getting out of this relationship is if Catrina breaks up with you, understood?"
Masrur nods seriously.
"And you better not use the fact that your older to get her to do things she doesn't want to."
"Eren!" Catrina's going to die. She's literally going to die. "Stop it!"
Masrur nods again.
"Catrina's my little sister. She might be older than when I first met her, but I know her best, so know that she's terrible at romance. Do not make me have to beat the shit out of you, Masrur. I actually like you."
"I won't."
"You better." A understanding is reached between the two men's eyes, and Eren nods slowly. "Good man."
Catrina covers her face with her hands, trying to disappear. Eren's warm hand wraps around her shoulders and he guides her into his hug. Catrina accepts it because she knows that Eren was thinking about her when he was grilling Masrur. He would've gone on longer, but he probably knew she'd resort to drastic measures to get him to stop…
Or maybe he knows Masrur will treat me well.
"Aw, come on, Cat! Ya know I had to do it. You're my lil' sis." The Chandlen laughs, not sounding very repentant at all. He adds, "Wait until I do it to Aladdin. I'm going to make that boy cry before he gets to date Bad."
"You're evil…" Catrina giggles a bit, her emotions finally calming. Their mutual dislike of the brat that steals Bad's attention brings them ever closer. "I love you, bro."
"Me too, sis." The hug tightens before Eren lets go. He looks down at her with pride and worry and a faint pain. "Man, I didn't know letting you grow up was going to be so hard."
She feels like she's going to cry now, because she has grown up. She's aged, matured, changed…For better or for worse, together with Eren and Bad. A melancholy feeling attaches itself to her thoughts. Eren doesn't seem like he's changed, but he has: from a timid teen excited by his new world to an outgoing, confident adventurer.
Catrina supposes she's changed too, though only others can tell her how truly. If she could guess one thing Eren's thinking about, it's the new developments in her love life. They'd both assumed romance wasn't in the cards for Catrina- at least not yet. Then in Sindria it hit her over the head with a sledgehammer and apologized by suckerpunching her in the gut. Then again, that's probably how almost everyone here feels. The thought of Eren getting a girlfriend seems alien and unreal.
She nods her head and smiles at him.
"I didn't know I'd ever be able to accept it myself." She squeezes Eren's hand. "Thanks for everything. Please write me. It's stupid, but I don't wanna wait for the end of the year."
"Of course not!" A force hits her side, and Bad's there in her arms. "Do you have to go?"
A look from Eren. Bad pouts and mends her statement.
"I mean, why so soon?" She stretches out the 'soon' in order to thoroughly express her childish displeasure in a whine. Most people would be exasperated by this; Catrina, instead, is pulled into the act with a startling force.
"Sorry!" She hugs the girl to her tighter. "This is the soonest available boat! It's going straight to Sicilii…"
"But I'll miss you…"
"Me too…" Catrina presses their cheeks together. "But we'll write all the time. And I'll tell you funny stories about the Fanalis Corps. It'll be like we're not even apart."
"But we are." Bad says somberly, looking depressed. Catrina kisses her forehead.
"We all have things to do."
"I know, but I don't like being apart from you guys. I don't wanna be."
Eren lays and hand on Bad's head.
"It'll be fine, Bad-gurl. We'll all be together again before ya know it."
"Yeah…" Catrina pulls away, her throat tensing up. She forces a bright smile and grabs her bag, looking to the ship. It's time to go. Catrina pads up the ramp to the deck, somehow feeling like she's going to start crying. It's a strange, jittery action. She takes a deep breath and turns around at the top, locking gazes with Bad and Eren. She waves to them and they wave back, saying nothing. She walks onto the ship, staring at Bad.
Dear Eren, make sure to take care of Bad.
She stares even after the boat sets sail, and keeps staring until red and green are little specks on the far away dock.
Dear Bad, I'll write every day from my father's.
Then her gaze turns to the sea, to the distant country of Reim she's heading to.
Dear Father, I'm coming soon.
1st Month…
Dear Father,
This is taking longer than I thought.
The ship takes her to the lovely sea port of Sicilii, where the waitresses can (and will) slip something into your drink for a price and the soldiers drunkenly sleep in the shade of tall, straight pillars. She does not notice the hidden animosity of the pretty little town until she becomes aware of the many stares and points directed to her crimson locks.
Then she gets into a just a dash of trouble. It really isn't her fault, but she does admit that she wishes she had been smart enough to cover herself with a rag or a scarf so that the many slave traders in Reim would leave her alone. While slave traders don't usually take slaves from the Empire they sell them to, being a Fanalis greatly increases the chances of a slaver deciding to break the rules- which, unfortunately, is happening.
"Hey there, miss."
Dad, I promise I'm usually smarter than this.
"Hi." She chirps, discretely tightening her grip on her bag. She somehow was stupid enough to trap herself in an alley of all places. She's seen this sort of scenario going down a thousand times in books and T.V. (there was an amazing episode of Amor de Los Ladrones where the main character, José, was nearly killed in an alley by men sent mistakenly by his true love, Katalina), and as such is confused as to why exactly she let it happen to herself.
But hey, at least I know I'm stronger than them!
The three men all pull out an ominous metal contraption that give off seriously creepy vibes.
...At least I know I'm stronger than them(?)
"Hey, how much Fanalis blood is in ya?"
"..." She says nothing now, her smile gone as she studies each of the men. Two of them are tall and buff, the third shorter but with a small beer belly.
"Boss, I think she's angry." One of the buffer two say, his smirk wide and mischievous. Boss laughs, Goon #2 does not. They start to approach her slowly, like she's a wild animal that could lash out at any second.
"Tell me, hon, was your mom or dad the slave?"
Catrina stays calm, not allowing her inner anger show.
"Ah, the mom," Says Goon #1, narrowing his eyes. Catrina's eyes shoot to him as she begins to glare. "See? Look at 'er. You can tell she's a bastard with daddy issues."
"That's a lie." She instantly knows she shouldn't have spoken at all.
"Oh~? Listen, miss, you should know…" The man holds up a hand, where the metal contraption rests. "Once a slave, always a slave. You can't erase that blood in ya, know matter how much you deny what a slut your mom was-"
Catrina snaps in a second.
She's always known that her mother has been and is her weakness. Even when she was young she couldn't hold off her anger when someone insulted Aishia. After all, Aishia is the perfect mother who loved and raised her despite all the difficulties surrounding her birth. For Catrina, there's no other way to protect her than to resort to violence, even though she wishes that she could do something else, something more beautiful for her mom.
Instead, she lunges with the intent to kick the teeth out of the smug prick's face.
That's when there's a loud click and a sudden whirling sound, like something being sucked into a vacuum. A cold pressure latches onto her right leg, and soon after she notices Goon #2 rushing forward to attach matching pressure onto her left.
After that, she's whipping through the air.
She hits the building on her right first, and impact that's harsh and sudden and leaves her dazed. The adrenaline in her system numbs the pain at first, but as soon as she crashes into the building parallel to the previous one does that protection fade fast. She lets out an 'umpf' and a gasp at the pain, all the breath in her lungs being forcefully vacated from her chest. Finally whatever is throwing her around goes lax, causing her to fall to the ground.
Her vision becomes covered in thick black spots as something wet begins to seep through her hair, her back becoming aware of the many bursts of pain. She struggles to suck in a breath as she realizes what exactly happened, the chains on her legs tightening.
"Ryuji, you dumbass!" The voice is harsh and her suddenly sensitive ears bring the new sound straight into her cranium. A massive headache builds at the front of her head, spreading it's thick fingers over her brain. "The bitch can't be more than half Fanalis. Turning up the setting so high coulda killed her!"
"Sorry, Boss."
Boss doesn't seem to care, his footsteps taking him to Catrina's side. He parts her hair carefully, swearing the whole time.
"She's bleeding."
"We could take her to a doctor-" Ryuji, formly Goon #2, offers.
"And what? Reveal that we took a slave from Reim? Fanalis or not, the government would be up our ass in a second if they even think we took one of their citizens."
"Sicilii is hardly a proper city." Ryuji responds. One of his partners must've shut him up with a glare, because there's no more talking after that. The last thing Catrina remembers before blacking out is her arms being tugged behind her back and cold chains being clapped down on her wrists.
Catrina wakes up with a splitting headache.
"Jesus." She groans, moving carefully onto her side. The material of her pillow and blanket scratches her, and the skin on her wrists and ankles strain against the chains as she does so-
Her eyes fly open despite her pain as she registers the chains.
Very quickly she tugs against them, stretching the skin more, and tests out the strong metal she's bound with. It may take a bit of strength, but she can definitely break them-
"Oh, you're awake."
Catrina relaxes, not wanting to be caught, and stares up. Her eyes quickly adjust to the dark- thank God for bat-like Fanalis vision- and studies her captor. He's not a young guy, more middle-aged, but he's still strong looking and tall, sporting wide shoulders and well-defined muscles. She notices he kind of looks like Eren- granted, smaller, shorter and instead of short hair, his is long and black, his eyes a muddy-color. But they're kind like Eren's, something that surprises her.
"You're Ryuji." The man flinches back, those eyes widening.
"How'd you know my name?"
"That boss-guy said it," She says, still studying him. He pauses for a moment, having nothing to say. He kneels and sets a tray down before her. It contains rice and fish with a small cup of tea. Next to the food, there's a roll of bandages and a bowl of water.
"I came to clean your wounds and feed you," He informs her, not unkindly. He sounds rather professional, avoiding her gaze like it's too stern for him. Still, after a moment he adds, "It pleases me that you are alright."
"..." She slowly sits up, watching how his muscles tense. "Are you from Kou?"
His gaze snaps to hers.
"...I feel ashamed," Ryuji says. "You seem to know so much about me, but I know nothing about you."
"It was easy to piece together," She shrugs. "Your name, the meal you prepared, your stiff manner of speech...I have friends from Kou just like you."
Namely Hakuryuu, who never seems to feel as though his duties to be polite are over.
"...I see."
"...My name's Catrina," She tells him, slowly smiling a little. She feels calm inside for some reason, even though she shouldn't. The strangest feeling like she'll survive this settles in her stomach. Maybe it's because Ryuji doesn't seem to like how she's being treated either. "Your meal looks delicious. Thank you very much."
Ryuji gapes at her before sliding the tray forward and bowing.
"N-no, it was no trouble. Here," He pulls out a key and moves around her, freeing her from her wrist chains. She contemplates making an escape at that moment, but something tells her to stick around for a while, to watch the scenes around her unfold. Not to mention leaving means possibly being tracked down with that contraption again and- she thinks with a wince- that may not work out well for her. Ryuji motions to the food and she digs in. Once she starts eating, she realizes how hungry she really is. She ravenously tears through the fish similarly to how Masrur and Morgiana used to during dinners, and inhales the white rice (which is divine, somehow). The tea is similar to the kind she had in Kou once, almost a green but with a gentle, flower-like taste.
"Thank you very much!" She happily sighs, sitting cross legged. She inspects her chains once more as Ryuji begins to work on the wounds on her back and on her head. He explains it as he does so, saying that she had a minor cut on the back of her skull and that the rest of her injuries were just bruises and scrapes.
"You're very lucky," He says, smiling slightly at her. He almost seems very fatherly, the corners of his eyes wrinkling with crow's feet. "Fanalis are very tough! I'm impressed. "
"You've never seen a Fanalis before?"
"Once, actually," He admits. "In the coliseum."
That's right.
Her eyes drop.
Dad.
"Where am I, exactly?"
"...The Pits," Ryuji replies, his voice sounding like a depressed sigh. "Where slaves are held before auctions."
"...You plan to sell me?"
He does not answer, finishing up his work on her back.
"Your wounds are clean now," She watches him get back the handcuffs and snap them back over her wrists, not stopping him. He hesitates a moment, like he wants to say something, but stands and leaves. "You should rest some more."
The next morning, or what she assumes is morning, she's rudely awakened by Boss, who she finally gets a good look at. She had ignored his appearance beforehand on account of her steadfast belief she'd defeat them quickly, but now drinks in his looks with an attentive eye. He sports rust-colored hair and little black eyes, a beer belly weighing down his steps. He orders around Ryuji and Goon #2 with wide-arcing swings of his meaty arms, a scowl etched onto his face with a crooked knife.
"Boss," She greets him when he comes into her cell, frowning at his glare. "How's it going?"
"The hell'd told you you could talk?" He asks her, incredulous. "No, don't answer. Don't talk."
Boss rubs his temple, like he had one too many the night before.
Catrina keeps quiet, watching him.
"So your name is Catrina, huh? Nice name for a slave." He sits on a wooden box in the corner of the cell, looking winded from his journey here to see her. "But I'm jus' gonna call ya Slave. You know, so you'll understand the position you're in."
She doesn't respond, and he cracks a smile.
"You're too smart. Rule one is to speak only when I say so. Otherwise you'll get beaten. Rule two is to never leave this room unless I say so. Otherwise you'll get whipped. Rule three is to look as pretty as you can for buyers, because if you don't, I might choose the worst of all of them to sell you to." He smiles, revealing missing teeth. "Ryuji, the sonofabitch, has already been lenient on you- too lenient. I intend on being quite the opposite. Until auction time, you'll be working in the construction zone outside of Sicilii- where you won't say a damn word to anyone so help me God. Got that?"
She nods instead of saying yes.
He grins like he's just been awarded a new, obedient puppy.
Perhaps it's necessary that Catrina is, for a short duration of time, a slave.
After all, her kinsmen endured years of slavery, and her mother was one for a while, so it only seems right that she rolls up her sleeves and takes a share of the pain too. Masrur and Morgiana were slaves as well, now that she thinks of it.
She wonders what they had to do. For her, it's picking up heavy loads of brick and rock which would take several men to carry, and depositing it swiftly and easily in front of other slaves meant to be actually putting the houses together. They usually stop when they see her, though, watch the new girl with the nice skin and washed hair and clean fingernails pick up a few bundles of heavy materials and carry it to them, all the while smiling cheerfully.
She knows they think she's nuts.
From horror stories told by Morgiana, she knows why. A slave shouldn't smile. Morgiana doesn't like to talk much about her past, but once, when they had the day off from training, they had a conversation about it. They laid side by side on a small empty meadow in the forest, taking turns giggling over what they thought each of the Seven Generals were doing. Then the conversation shifted into something much more serious, and Morgiana was telling her about her experience as a slave.
She told her about the whips, the chains, the occasional knife. She described the ever-present fear and despair, wondering when they were going to die. After a few bated breaths of silence, Morgiana whispered to her that at that time, she would've liked to know when she'd die, so she wouldn't have felt so utterly afraid of her master every day.
Catrina had no idea what to say back, so she held Morgiana for a while instead.
Now Catrina's able to see people like Morgiana back then, their eyes dull and fearful. There's a power in despair that Catrina's very aware of. There's a power in being unable to understand what's coming except that it's going to hurt. Such knowledge is what propels so much angst and pain and terror among the less fortunate. It's the springboard to crime and the slide of a downward spiral all in one.
But she keeps smiling. Eren had told her that she had a wonderful smile. Bad said the same. However, it was when her smile could become a shield that she started wearing it daily. She realized that, by just grinning, she's able to protect herself from everything that's ever scared her through a projection of friendliness.
So maybe, she thinks, she can give these people hope if she smiles just a smidge wider. If she carries a few extra bricks. If she cheerfully says hello to those she passes, even as they frown at her.
Her smile never fades, though over the course of the day her spirit dampens.
That night, sitting on her cot and looking up at the ceiling in her dark cell, she begins to wonder why any thinks there is productivity in slavery. She begins to close her eyes, and her consciousness fades.
2nd Month…
A slave is not a person.
Which explains why the masters treat them with little consideration. If Catrina was to compare their treatment of their slaves to something, it would be how a homeless beggar might treat an animal.
Sometimes the master is good. They care for their slaves to an extent that, in the eyes of many, it virtuous and kind. They provide regular meals, check up on them often, praise them when they are good and scold them when they are not. But there is no mistaking the hierarchy; there is no way to pretend that when they look into their merchandises' eyes, they don't see the intelligence of a human being. They see the mindlessness of a dog.
Other times, the master is bad. They give scraps to their slaves. They whip them, chain them, beat them, belittle the men and...Touch the women. They shout and spit and leer, with repressed anger and hatred towards some cosmic being directed at the slaves. They give into an inhuman mentality that because they're slaves, they're not people. They're things. They're beasts. They're rodents to be bought and sold.
Catrina's master treads the line between good and bad. So far he has provided her with food and clothing and checked up on her, but often scowls at her and attacks her with biting insults. He's never touched her, with she's thankful for...Of course, his reason for that (which he decided to tell her all about) is because he doesn't believe in continuing his bloodline if it's through a "dirty-blooded slave-race".
Her clothes are no longer clean. Her fingernails are brown, with dirt trapped underneath. Her body bears no scars nor bruises, but the materials she lugs around all day at construction sites and the other chores she's been made to do have created a scrapes and bruises here and there. She's allowed to wash once a week in cold water, but her hair is matted and distinctly gross.
Her meals, though thankfully regular, provide no substanance. Her master had seen Ryuji's cooking and decided it was too good for her, and now she eats a disgusting, discolored slop which has the unique ability to change from a liquid to a solid based on the temperature. Never has "eat it while it's hot" been such a game-changing sentence.
She's talked to most of the other slaves in the Pit now, has learned their stories. There are day-laborers, house-workers, cooks, maids, bed-slaves. The children sit in her lap and stare up at her with wide eyes, some bearing resemblance to their masters, others with fathers sold away or dead or occasionally just a customer for a night. She feels as though she needs to talk to them, needs to understand them. A few have begun to smile at her, others seem eager now to start up a lively conversation.
Ryuji is among these people.
"So...Your friend broke into a woman's house...To steal back a watermelon…?"
Catrina giggles hysterically, energetically nodding her head. They walk through the market, Catrina carrying a wide basket of in-season oranges on her head and Ryuji a bag of coins on his belt to pay for them. Her master finally let her out with a strict warning and that strange metal device clapped onto her ankles. She's learned, through talking to the fellow slaves, that it's a "metal beast". Or, in simpler, more distressing terms, a magic tool.
Isn't awesome that my master has such a great weapon?
(Sarcasm at it's best.)
(And also, fuck you Magomett.)
However, the only one seemingly capable of using the tool alone is Ryuji; a fact that alerts Catrina that he must have a higher magoi level than his boss and Goon #2 (whose name is Jus or something, but honestly she doesn't care about him very much). Everyone else needs a partner or two to pilot the contraption.
"Eren wanted that watermelon."
"Why?"
"That's the point! He literally had no valid reason." She reaches up and picks an orange out of the basket, throwing it to a beggar on the side of the street. The dirty man begins to smile at her before confusedly staring at the chains on her legs. Ryuji frowns at her disapprovingly.
"Boss won't like you doing that. He'll be angry."
"He won't unless you tell, tattle-tale." Ryuji's cheeks go crimson.
"I-I'm not a tattle-tale!"
"Yes you are. You tattler." Catrina laughs a bit, her eyes twinkling. "Hey, I have a question for you."
"What is it?" Ryuji asks, sighing. He rubs his temple like a tired old father.
"Why're you working for Boss? He's not a nice guy, you know." Ryuji becomes quiet.
"...Boss has a name, you know. And you should probably call him Master."
"Don't avoid the question, tattler."
"Well...He's promised to take me back to Kou if I work for him for a few years. On my own I don't have the resources to make money and then purchase a trip back, so...I just have to be patient, I guess."
"You must be very patient, if you can sit still while he steals other people's lives." She tells him quite plainly, her lips tipped downwards. "Are you really alright with that, Ryuji?"
"..." His gaze drops, as if ashamed. "What about you, Catrina? Why haven't you tried to escape?"
"I don't really know," She looks up at the sky. She knows a little. She wants to understand her friends better, her mother better. She wants to experience what it's like to fail every now and then, so that her sympathies will grow. And she also understands escape will be difficult if they still have the magic tool on them. Jokingly she adds, "I'll leave when you do."
Ryuji looks shocked.
"I-I cannot do that," He quickly says. "Do not base your life on mine-"
"It'll be fine," Catrina laughs him off. "I'm patient too."
"Okay, so you can jump in a pit of snakes or a pit of sharks. What do you choose?" Catrina tickles the boy's stomach as she talks, smiling as he squeals happily.
"Umm...The sharks!"
"Wow, really?"
"Yeah, cuz I can out-swim 'em!" Catrina giggles along with the child, bouncing him on her leg. "Hey, sis, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"What's mom doing right now?" The Fanalis-Amala's smile fades. The boy looks up at her with two baby-blue eyes, his golden hair shining. Suddenly she's taken back, back, back, to Alice's time. She sees her little brother in her arms, the same boy who used to smile dorkily and tell her about his recent football game.
Alice had loved him. She had loved him so much more than anyone else, and yet barely saw him. What was he doing now? How much had time progressed in that other world? Did he become the highschool football star? Did he graduate college and become a doctor like he promised her he would? Did he finally find a cure for the disease that had eaten his sister, a cure he used to cry about by her side?
"Catrina?"
That reality shatters. She's Catrina, a Fanalis and a Amala. She's a sister and a friend and a daughter, and she's not dying of cancer, she's not in anyway like desperate, pitiable girl who was too weak to escape the flames consuming her.
She's stronger than that. She has more to do than that.
The boy in her lap is not her brother. He's the son of his master's bedslave.
"Hm? Oh, your mother…" A few of the adults nearby wince at Catrina, pitying her for being placed in that situation by the boy. "Well...She's, ah, serving the Master right now…"
"But why?" The boy asks, his eyes shiny and naive. "She always has to leave at night. Why's that?"
It's right in front of you, she wants to tell him, her heart breaking. It's clear to everyone. You have all the pieces and yet you can't put them together.
"I don't know, sweetness," Catrina murmurs, unable to find the strength to put it together for him. "I think this is a conversation that you should wait to have with your mother when you're older, alright?"
The boy frowns, but nods slowly.
"Okay...Oh, hey, sis, what do you prefer: to run aallllll the way to the docks and back or have to rub master's feet?"
I'd love to leave this place.
Instead, she musters up a smile and jokingly tells him she'd never touch his master's feet.
"Oh yeah, Slave, I got some news."
"...? Yes, sir?"
Master's lips part to reveal his yellowed teeth.
"You're going to auction tomorrow."
Enough.
She's had enough.
Her month in the Pits has cemented something in her, something fiery and harsh. Frustration builds in her chest as she surveys the other slaves, an unusual frown on her face. She's endured this past month because she knew she could handle it. But she never thought it would continue on after a month until news of the auction hit her. There was too much to do: she promised her father she'd visit him (he must be worried- she was scheduled to arrive three weeks ago), she promised Bad she'd play a part in Magnostadt, she promised Eren she'd be careful, she promised Masrur to return to Sindria, she promised her mother, five long years ago, to come back home. How can she come back if she's still- still here?
A growl rises up from her throat.
A few of the adults see her and confusedly stare until they recognize the anger and the pure fire in her face. Then they take measured steps away, shrinking into the walls as if they can escape from her eventual explosion. But they're all chained to this dark, lonely place, and there's no escape.
Escape.
She needs to escape. She can't buy her own freedom- her possessions were all taken from her except for her laurel and her arm-sleeve (to hide the ugly scar which her master deemed unattractive). There's also no one she can get to come save her- except for her father, but the thought of asking him sends thick waves of shame rolling through her body. The guilt of being taken and the intense, harsh shame of being unable to get herself out brings her pride to it's knees. Besides, there's no way to contact anyone, which is almost a relief. If she could get a message to her father, she'd feel obliged to do so, and while she's sure he wouldn't blame her for being taken…
Well, Eren was telling the truth: her dad's overprotective of his only child. He may make her stay in Reim for an indefinite amount of time, or stop her from leaving Remano to eventually see her mother. Both would be very inconvenient, and, once more, her pride would take a very crippling blow.
Catrina takes a deep breath. She needs to be calm. Escaping is the only option, which means if she's reckless she could hurt the other slaves or herself. Not to mention if she's not methodical and organized, she could fail and be whipped- or worse. So far her master has been fairly lenient and hasn't even hit her, but she's seen how he treats his less obedient slaves. Catrina's sure it's only her happy-go-lucky attitude and go-with-the-flow vibe that's helped her escape from that so far. But now…
The guards are on the other side of the Pit, reprimanding a slave for spilling his slop on their boots. No one stands around the cage she's in. She licks her lips.
"Hey," She says, gaining attention. The slaves go silent as they stare at her, all used to her habit of starting group-wide conversations. It's different, this time. "I have something to talk to you all about."
Her seriousness catches their interest and raises their level of fear. They still listen though, knowing that they can't leave the cage and that Catrina is, compared to all the others, the most reasonable.
She squats down, rubbing her eyes.
"Do you all think that...Free people should be free and slaves should be enslaved?" A moment of shocked silence. No one responds, their lips sealed shut after years of mind-numbing servitude. "Do you think that if a person is born in the outside world to a family who loves them, and lives the same as anybody else, and enjoys their life...Should have that taken from them? Is that alright?"
Looks are exchanged.
"That's just…" A man says, and balks when the others look at him. "That's just h-how it is…"
"..." Catrina raises her eyes to look into that man's, looking deep into his soul. She can read him easily. She can see all of his painful, heart-wrenching memories. "No. That's not how it is. Because every person on this planet was born equal. We were all shaped by a God to be unique and new. We might have had our freedom taken from us by our masters, but we are not any less human because of these chains!"
Catrina stands, feeling her conviction rise.
"I refuse to be bought and sold! I'm a person. I'm human. They cannot treat me like trash because it's convenient."
"Sis…"
"...Cat…"
"Miss Catrina…"
Little murmurs, whispers of soft praise. They shake with fear, but look at her with awe. Like she's something divine and new. With an aching heart, she realizes that in this world, she actually is.
"I'm human. They can say I'm not, they can make excuses for what they've done, but I'm human. And they had to kidnap me in order to force me into becoming a slave, like they did to most of you." Catrina looks to the children, who stare at her with watery eyes. Softly she adds, "Just because you were born here means you have to die here."
Catrina licks her lips, watching the guards stalking through the Pit. Through her time here, she's become aware of the patterns and behaviors of the hired guards. Though it's their job to look after all the slaves, it's known to Catrina that they actually don't. It's not as though they're doing it purposefully, it's just that they developed a sense of ease and comfort through the repetition of their rounds.
If a slave is known to be aggressive, the guards treat them with caution. They take in all movement, slowing their steps as they go past, never moving their eyes from the slave's cage. Sometimes they linger for a while in front of the cage, hands drifting over their swords as they bark out insults to the enslaved person. They eagerly wait for a response in order to get a chance to pounce; but those are rare. Even the stupidest and most violent of slaves know when to duck their heads.
The slaves who never say a word and blend into the background are written off as unnoteworthy, non-threatening. Thus, the guards relax as they pass those cages, their conversation becoming more loud as they become less alert. That's often how news is brought to the Pit, and how gossip circulates. Gossip, surprisingly, is incredibly valued by the slaves.
Catrina's found that during "down" time, the many slaves will ask for her opinion on the newest story that's made it's way down to the dark, dank Pit. It's the best pass time considering all else someone can do is sleep, stare at the wall or imagine life if one wasn't bound to a rodent-infested sewer-based hell hole.
The guards go past her cage. She closes her eyes, pretending to be asleep. While this particular set of men don't bother her anymore, she remembers that they used to be very interested in her at first. They didn't say it aloud, but it was the first time they've ever seen a Fanalis, and openly stared at her to process her 'exotic' features. In Catrina's opinion, the only thing 'exotic' about her is her eye-shape. All the other tell-tale Fanalis aspects are actually quite normal- if not common. Tanned skin, crimson hair, an inclination towards frowning.
She supposes it's just the combination of all those things that create a Fanalis, in addition to their incredible strength. It hits Catrina then. There's nothing really exotic about a Fanalis. Hell, there's nothing special.
Except for their strength.
If we weren't as strong as we are, would we still be slaves?
The answer that comes to her is a surprising, resounding no.
Of course, she has to consider other factors in that statement in order to know for sure, but her head starts aching and she's not sure she really cares.
She opens her eyes as the men pass, and creeps to the barred wall between her and the group of 'normal' slaves. She was placed in her own cage because of, frankly, obvious reasons.
"Hey," She whispers to the woman, closest to her- who happens to be the mother of that boy from before. Mina. "Did you hear anything?"
A bit of hesitation before her nods.
"I talked to Apollo at the main house. He said that you and a few of the others are getting sold tomorrow."
"To who?"
"I'm not sure," She confesses. "It's not a closed auction, so people from all over are coming to see a Fanalis."
Her heart skips a beat.
"People from Remano?"
"Probably."
She nearly curses. How could news of a Fanalis travel that far? Was she really so noteworthy? Hopefully her father hasn't heard...But the Fanalis Corps are always searching for new recruits. Could it be possible…?
She shakes her head, reaffirming her resolve. There are no reassurances, not while she's in this position. If she wants to escape, then she needs to be smart about it; like she said. She doesn't want anyone to get hurt, especially not those who've agreed to help her leave.
"I see...Has anyone changed their minds?" The bedslave bites her lip, looking at the others. A few look away once their gazes land on them. "But why?"
"...Fear?" Mina suggests, her gaze downcast. "I think it's fear."
"I promised to protect you all."
"..." Fragilely, Mina reaches through the bars to rest a motherly hand on Catrina's. "You are a kind girl, Cat. But for us...Being free is a foreign word. So, if we can help you escape, then perhaps we can win some freedom. After all, if you take us with you, it'll be that much harder to go see your father, right?"
Catrina's face flushes. In the depressing, long hours in the cages she had filled the air with stories of her adventures and detailed explanations of her desires to see her parents again. She spoke to such a length about it that many started using phrases from her tales in their speech. She hears many say "literally" and "Yolo" and "awesome" now.
"And please, if I see you again, introduce me to your dad," Mina mimics being hot, waving her hand towards her face. She gives a saucy grin. "I would love to meet a rugged gladiator Fanalis someday."
"W-what?!" Mina giggles, clapping a hand over her mouth.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! I can tell you want your parents to get back together."
"Wh-what?"
"Daddy told me a lot about Mama!" Horrified, Catrina watches Mina mimic her. "Their love story is so romantic~!"
"I don't sound like that."
"Oh, but you do."
Catrina pauses, her cheeks still flushed. It had been a long month, filled with hungry, cold days and warm, fun ones, but it was coming to an end now. She makes a vow then and there: when she gets to Remano, she's going to come back and free everyone here. It's the least she can do for these people, who've guided her and taught her for so long.
Hell, maybe she'll even buy Ryuji a ticket back to Kou.
But for now, she solemnly squeezes Mina's hand and smiles at her, offering a smile of hope and strength.
Slowly, shyly, Mina gives her one back.
Ryuji wakes her up the next morning.
His eyes seem tired, his frown too deep.
"Is all well, my friend?" Catrina asks, sitting cross legged like the day they first talked. Ryuji doesn't respond until he's kneeling before her, his back ramrod straight.
"Catrina...You are being sold today."
"I'm aware."
Ryuji frowns deeper and a painful emotion- worry?- fill his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
The Fanalis-Amala thinks for a moment on his words.
"...Ryuji…"
"Yes?"
"Were...Were you a slave?" Ryuji flinches back like she whipped him, making an expression she's gotten used to seeing. The slaves here make that same wide-eyed, frightened look all the time.
"H-how'd you know?"
"..." Catrina reaches up to push back a handful of red hair, pulling the locks back into her usual bun. "I could tell. Boss doesn't treat you the way he treats his other goons. He seems to hate you more."
Ryuji's gaze drops.
"Is he even going to help you go back?"
"He is," Ryuji earnestly tells her, hands fisting on his knees. "I mean...He has to. He owes me for what he did."
"What did he do?"
Ryuji smiles ruefully.
"You've been here long enough to know all the punishments. Name a few...I'm sure you'll hit the mark."
The solemn, dark sentence is not something she connects to polite Kouenese male she's gotten used to bugging.
"Ryuji…" Catrina says, almost worried for him. "You're above this. All this twisted darkness. You don't have to work for him, even if the alternative seems scary."
"But he's…"
"A monster," She finishes for him. A guard comes by and tells Ryuji that the auction is waiting for Catrina. The Fanalis-Amala stands first, staring into Ryuji's face. The man lowers his gaze, shamefully, and takes ahold of her chains.
"I'm sorry," He repeats.
"You should leave."
There are tears in his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
A slave auction is an unfamiliar place to Catrina, but rumors have made their way into her ears, and fulfil themselves before her.
"And this lovely thing," The auctioneer cooes. Thing. Not girl, not woman. Thing. It holds so much more meaning than if it was said anywhere else. Said girl beside him shrinks in on herself. "Has just started her moon-cycles! A mature, beautiful virgin!"
The prices start rising. The girl, not any more than fifteen, starts crying. Catrina has the sudden burst of desire to sock the bastard in the throat, take the girl into her arms and bring her to safety. She moves to do so, but shocks of pain race up and down her spine. She gasps, staring back with wide eyes at Ryuji.
His gaze is on the cuffs on her ankles, his grip tight over the chains.
"Ryuji…" She says, hurt filling her gaze. He looks off to the side now, ashamed.
"Sold!"
Catrina's head snaps back to the stage, where an obese nobleman waltzes on to claim his prize. Catrina tugs on her chains, now desperate to save that girl, to help her. She's crying and crying, begging for a superman, and yet, and still…
A hand claps down on the slaves wrist, and she's dragged away.
It's the first time in many, many years that Catrina actually feels...Helpless. Sometimes she gets inklings of that feeling, like when she's pressing her hands down over Eren's bleeding wounds or has to sit by as Bad does all of the scheming by herself. But at those times she's doing something. She's bandaging Eren while he looks so unfamiliarly weak, she's holding Bad when the demons are particularly rough.
Now…
Now.
Now she's just...Standing there as the woman, the girl, the child, is dragged off.
(She's Catrina's age.)
Then, repulsively, Catrina starts thinking about herself.
What am I going to do? What if that happens to me? What if I can never do the things I promised?!
Lower, deeper, a whisper summarizing her whirlwind of thoughts,
(What if I can't live anymore?)
"I...Don't want that." She doesn't realize she's spoken aloud until Ryuji's gaze turns to her. She vaguely feels her knees clapping together. "No...Please, don't do this…"
Begging like a weak willed soul. Begging like Alice would've.
She has never hated herself the way she does in that moment. Because now, that hatred's not a filter between her and Alice, forcing her anger and frustrations toward an unknown, nonexistent persona in the heavens. That's how she's always controlled herself, her hate.
Now, though, the reality crashes into her.
I hate myself so much.
She always had, a little.
Why me?
Such a selfish thing to think. Why not her?
No, no, no.
But she's Alice. She's Alice and Alice is her and if she doesn't like that, well, that's her own problem, isn't it? Catrina sobs, the tears coming down. That's right. She's Alice. She's tried to pretend differently, but she can't anymore, because all that hatred for her situation and her life and all the terrible things that have happened to her come whipping down across her shoulders. There are burdens even a Fanalis cannot bear.
"I don't want…" She whispers, "To be alone."
She looks around her dazedly, at the audience bidding on the next slave, at the guards lazing around in the shade of the pillar. Her plan is still there. The slaves promised to create a fight down below in the Pits to draw the guards, giving her a chance to break her chains once she's sold and escape to the outskirts of the city, where a change of clothes and a few coins are waiting for her. The clothes and coins were produced by her fellow slaves, who hoarded their best treasures and now give them up to her. The very fact all of them banded together to help her was not just extraordinary...It was too kind for a selfish, worthless person like her.
She feels her head drop down as her neck collapses.
Yes...What's the point of leaving if she's going to be taken from her friends? What's the point of escaping, if all she's good for is being…Being...
Being a slave?
"To be alone."
The moment he hears her whisper those words in a broken, terrified voice, Ryuji feels an overwhelming sensation in his stomach.
His organs churn and his belly constricted, air leaves his lungs in long waves. It's torturous feeling, like he can't breath as shaky twitches climb between his ribs and find their way up to his jugular. A sharp pain in his jaw alerts to him that he's tensed his entire face, and a similar burn spreads across his wide, unblinking eyes.
He's heard those words before.
"I don't wanna - alone, Daddy-! Please, - Mommy go, don't -!"
Ryuji is not egotistical, that he is sure of. But he knows he's a good man. He knows he did all he could for his family back in Kou, knows he treated his wife and his child right. He also knows his Boss (Master) is the cruelest, most despicable man in the entire world for doing what he did to Ryuji.
But there are aspects to good men that most people don't know. Being a good man doesn't mean he's always made the right decision, always stuck up for the underdog. Because sometimes, often times, he bows his head and lets fate's course flow. Yet Ryuji is also hopeful, optimistic, kind. He bandages wounds and sympathizes with the slaves, treating them all with, he hopes at least, a genuinity that makes them feel slightly better.
Just slightly.
Always slightly.
His hands shake on his hold of the magic tool. The stupid thing was created to capture strong people (like Fanalis) and enslave them. It's a cool metal band that he slips his fingers into and holds as it drains away his magoi in order to keep up it's stupendous strength and flexibility. Attached to it is a single chain that splits into two with cuffs at the end. Currently they sit clapped on Catrina's ankles, keeping her from moving.
Then he drops it.
The hushed sound of metal against dirt doesn't draw any attention other than the flicker of Catrina's gaze as her hyperactive hearing picks it up. Ryuji kneels down and takes off Catrina's ankle braces, depositing them atop of the handle of the tool before kicking it into the corner. He quickly turns around and claps thinner chains onto Catrina's ankles, standing quickly but casually scanning the area to make sure he wasn't caught.
The Fanalis is still staring at him.
He looks down, shame filling him, before looking straight into her eyes.
"I don't want you...To be alone…" He says softly, his throat tensing half-way through. He hangs his head, memories of his child rushing through his head. "I don't want you...To think you're worthless. I want you to...To find your family, and live, and not have to smile any less because of this situation. Because you're not hopeless, Catrina. You have so much potential."
"R-Ryuji…?" A few more tears trail down Catrina's cheeks. Her lower lip wobbles unsteadily before she's quickly throwing her arms around his chest and hugging him. "Thank you."
They both know what he did.
And they both know that the time to leave is now.
Thunk, thunk, thunk.
The wooden stage makes hollow noises as Catrina wanders on stage. Her wears a dirty dress, her hair is disgustingly greasy, she hasn't washed her face in days and she's certain she smells like sh- ah, something unpleasant.
And yet, she doesn't care and neither do the bidders.
"I don't think I have to explain to any of you experienced gentleman the value and rarity of a Fanalis, so I think I'll just quickly note that this beauty here is the first Fanalis to be sold at Sicilii!"
A round of applause. She nearly pukes. All that's left is for the auctioneer to throw his arms out and scream, 'we did it, guys!'.
"I'll start the bidding at 50 gold coins!"
While certainly high, Catrina inwardly pouts that she wasn't started at at least 100.
"100!"
"250!"
"350!" The bids raise higher and higher, and Catrina's eyebrows disappear from under her bangs.
Wow. I'm valuable.
(Well...That's one way to look at it.)
"500!"
I don't think I've ever made that kind of money!
You don't work.
I don't think I've ever stolen that kind of money!
A pause as the bidding slows, each buyer sizing one another up with scowls and nervous glances. Such a high price is highly unusual, but apparently common for a Fanalis.
"Going once! Going twice! So-"
"1000 gold coins!"
WHAT?!
"WHAT?!"
The auctioneer, the nobles, the guards, Ryuji, everyone looks at the source. Catrina feels her heart warm, her cheeks flush red.
Because the man standing there, surrounded by his subordinates is-
"No way."
"H-holy shit."
"Dammit...They always show up at the worst time…"
The man raises an eyebrow, looking feral and pissed beyond belief.
"Well?" He hisses at the auctioneer, a rough, angry sound. "Any other bidders?"
"A-ah, going once...Going twice…" The auctioneer holds out the final words with shifting eyes, looking helplessly at the other bidders as if to find someone who could save their auction.
"Any day!" Her savior yells. The auctioneer flinches and quickly blurts,
"Sold!"
Catrina's knees feel weak. Tears fill her eyes as the men and his two companions quickly make their way to the stage, springing up the stairs easily. The main man, her buyer, pushes a large bag of coins into the auctioneer's arms, making the man stumble back and fall on his bottom. The whole time his eyes never leave hers.
"H-here's the keys," The auctioneer offers him the key, knowing full well that there's no way that a Fanalis would buy a Fanalis for any other reason.
"Gah...The Fanalis Corps." A nobleman bemoans his loss of merchandize. "Dammit."
"For the captain to come himself…"
"And to bring along his second in commands..."
Muu, Myron, Lo'lo.
All of them before her.
Lo'lo and Myron growl at the man who still holds out the key while Muu steps on the chains, holding them down. Catrina swiftly kicks upwards, breaking her bonds and freeing herself. There is a single second of hesitation before tears are slipping down Catrina's cheeks and she's barreling into Muu's chest and waiting arms.
"Daddy!" She cries loudly, uncaring of the listeners.
"DADDY?!" Half the crowd shouts, their eyes huge. The implications of such a statement bring horror down on their shoulders.
"Yeah, Daddy," Lo'lo snickers, picking up the auctioneer and forcing him to face a very, very furious Muu Alexius.
"I suggest," Muu says, with the kind of calm composure only an intensely livid person can pull off. His eyes become two crimson bullets, ready to be fired into the man's heart. "That you tell me exactly who kidnapped my daughter, Catrina Alexius of the Alexius family, and tried to sell her. Otherwise I may just do something very horrible to you."
Myron snickers when she smells the distinct scent of urine radiating off of the auctioneer.
Fun Fact #1: Catrina used to secretly dream about becoming a housewife. She has never told anyone this because of how strangely it conflicts with her personality.
Fun Fact #2: Muu is very overprotective of his daughter and will take offense to even mistaken slights towards her.
Done!
Okay so I was literally so excited to write this chapter and then I KEPT FUCKING UP. Uuuughh I literally hated the way I arranged everything and asldkjgosubojwr. SO I CHANGED IT ALL ANd now I like it mucho.
ATTENTION: Okay, I already know y'all are prob annoyed, but I have redone the poll with the choices that got the most votes! The three finalists are waiting for you to vote, so please, do so! I have also added brief summaries for each of them on my profile, so be sure to read that before voting :)
The Auction: I dunno currency. I made that ish up.
Cat's Dad: *smirks* So yeah, Cat's dad is Muu (and yes, those who guessed that get gold stars). Goddamn do I ship MuuXAishia hard. SO HARD. This also makes Catrina a quarter Fanalis, btw. I dunno if you guys noticed but whenever someone incorrectly called Catrina "half-Fanalis" someone would always try to correct them (only to be stopped conveniently).
Muu: So, 'cause this is my story, Muu's older than he actually is and that's why he was eighteen when Catrina was born- as such, Muu is currently 33! But he still looks the same! Yay for anime aging!
Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!
BYE~~~~~~~