Eyes pop open suddenly, every muscle alert, WAY too rested to have just catnapped a few seconds by mistake. I try to move, and my limbs are bound. Then, I remember, as if in a flash: The three dragon knights tying me up as I struggle, being picked up and placed. . . oh no.

I suddenly take in my surroundings, and what I see is NOT a happy sight. Everything is blue, I'm on that strange stupid platform again, and I'm shaking once more. I'm in the invincible, being taken closer to, and yet further from, Clara, to be locked up and tortured for the rest of my life, which will probably end soon.

I'm trapped in a monstrosity with doors that won't open unless my worst enemies open them, which they won't if I'm free, stuck hopelessly, without comfort, without freedom.

This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening.

"She's awake." Calls a voice from somewhere near.

Shit. This IS happening. I shake even harder as I begin to struggle, determined to get out of these chains that bind me, unable to flee at any moment, utterly helpless to defend myself against the blows sure to come. My hands ache where they're pressed steadily into my chest, my limbs have gone numb. Even if- WHEN- I manage to get out of this, I'm not in very good condition. A whimper escapes my throat, and I wince at it's pleading sound as my shakes get worse.

Yet another Dragon Knight enters, followed closely by the queen. My breath sticks in my throat much as I fight to keep calm, making it suddenly difficult to breathe. The king enters, and I struggle still more, unsure whether my shakes or my pushing is doing more to damage the chains. My eyes, open wide in my deniable by me only terror, note the entrance of the princess, the defect, and finally a rusted-over knight. My heart beats faster still, if it's possible. I note, with some shock, that each is carrying something.

They put these. . . things down and sit on them, arranged so they're all facing me. All but the queen, who doesn't carry one of those things. Instead, she reaches out a hand and moves me so I'm as close to sitting as I can be, and sits down on the platform next to me. They smile at me, and I want nothing more than to run, to hide, away from the torture about to occur, away from these people who'll kill me without a second thought.

If Clara escaped from them, I can too, I think desperately, but I know it's wrong. Clara's always been the one whose better at the lessons and has a natural skill for them. . . me, I have to work insanely to master each technique. Clara admires my skill with Black Magic, but I can't do the other skills half as well as she.

"Well, for now let's cover the basics." Starts out the king, and I continue to shake thinking, wondering what he means by basics. The basic torture, the easiest and most effective pains?

My shaking obviously increased to a visible form, because the kings smile disappears. "None of that." He chides, making me nearly mindless with terror, "How many times do we have to tell you we're not going to hurt you?" It's obvious to me he's lying, that he's going to hurt me, torture me, gloat over my dying breath. He sees my shakes don't increase at this- I don't think they can- but they also don't DECREASE. The king, seeing this, asks, "What, don't you believe me?" I think the answers obvious.

I swallow, trying not to faint from terror, trying not to scream, to cry, to give any visible sign of the fear coursing through me, making me weak. I look down, anything to avoid eye contact, to avoid showing them just how terrified I am.

A hand beneath my chin, lifting my face up: The princesses. I turn away instinctively, terror threatening to show, hurting my insides with the pure fear. Again, the princesses hand moves my head, making me look at them all against my will.

The king, seeing something in my eyes perhaps, sighs. "I guess you're not in the mood to talk yet, are you?" He asks me, and the terror rises still more. They'll torture me to make me speak and tell them what they think I know, laughing over my cries. "We'll speak again later." He tells me, and gets up to leave. The queen lays me on my side again, and they all walk out. So, no torture yet, but later.

The door closes behind them, leaving me alone, shaking, uncomfortable with my thoughts. Twisting myself as best I can, I inspect the wall behind me. It SEEMS solid, and there are supposed to be no passageways on the Invincible, so I'm safe from that direction. The door they came in is above my head, the wall on my other side- a ways away- seems solid too, though I might not see a door from this distance.

Bending my head, I find my view of the final wall blocked by my legs, shaking still. I twist however I can, trying not to leave a single element unknown. Finally I manage to get in a kneeling position- don't ask how I did it without hands, I'm not sure myself.

No door there.

Twisting myself so I can watch the one door and won't be surprised at anything, I settle in to wait, heart pounding, chains firm, just as a voice inside me speaks.

~Catalina!~

~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~

"Damn it." Swears Zidane the instant the door's closed behind him. Looking up at the vision spell Eiko produced, he continues swearing. Catalina, it seems, is making sure they can't sneak up on her.

"If she shook any harder I wouldn't have been able to hold her," Comments Garnet, watching the screen as Catalina manages to roll over again and check the opposite wall.

"I think she's as close to being scared to death as she can be without dying," Agrees Eiko, watching as the girl tries to see around her tied legs, finally succeeding by rocking backwards on her head and using her neck almost as a spring to push herself onto her knees, where she stays, wobbling, for a few seconds, looking at the wall and making sure they can't get in that way.

"For someone to be so mistreated that they're scared of everything and everyone. . . it's a wonder the moogle she ran into kept his life." Says Dagger sadly. Vivi solemnly nods. "It's scary that anyone can be that mistrusting."

~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~

Eika: Well, that went well.

Clara: THAT was well? I don't WANT to see your idea of bad if that went well.

Eika: She could've fainted.

Clara: True.

~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~

God this is tough. I'm floating on my back from pure exhaustion about fifty miles from shore, and I can barely move. WHY was I crazy enough to attempt an eight-hour swim?!

On the edge of my consciousness, I feel a brush of something, not physical but magical. Catalina must be within telepathy distance! Reaching with all my might, closing my eyes, I call, Catalina!

No response.

Feeling along our mental ties I look through her eyes to receive a genuine shock: Zidane, Garnet, Freya, Vivi, Eiko, Rusty. They seem to be saying stuff. Straining through her ears, I hear the exact same words they used for me. Smiling to myself momentarily, it stops as soon as I get a touch of fear over our bond. Since only strong emotions can be felt from far away, I know she must be terrified. They leave, and Catalina swings over, most likely bound similarly to the way I was, to check for hidden entrances and exits.

When she's done, I take a chance and cry again, ~Catalina!~

#Clara?!#

~Yup, it's me!~

#Thank goodness, now tell me how to get out of here!#

~Why? I ask, truly wondering.~

#Because I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#

~Calm down, Cat. Take a few deep breaths. Relax.~ I feel her do so, her muscles still ready for a moments flight.

#Now what?# She asks.

~Look, I think you should stay there.~

#WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND, TOO?!?!?!?!?! I'M NOT BEING TORTURED INSANELY!!!!!!!!!!#

~Look, Catalina, I stayed with them for three days. They never hurt me.~

#Have you forgotten Uncle and our mission? You're nuts, girl!#

~Am not. Look, I think Uncle lied to us. They're nice. Friendly, even. They joke around and have fun. Not what you'd expect from an evil person.~

#You ate the food, didn't you?! My sister is being mind-controlled!!#

~I did only when force-fed, and since it only takes affect in people eleven and up I'm safe. We're not even TEN.~

#Clara, I'm scared.# She whimpers, which scares ME. NOTHING scares Catalina. She's always charging in, ready for the next step. #They'll kill me if they get the chance. Help!#

~Stop it.~ I chide, trying to mask my concern. ~I'm swimming to the forgotten continent to confront Uncle. I can't turn back now.~

#Claaaraaaaa#

~I'm almost out of range. Listen, you'll be safe with them.~ I tell her, silently laughing. ~I'll see you soon!~

#But-# my sense of contact with her fades, and I'm on my own again. I hope she listened.

~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~*^~

Clara: I'll give you this: When you get inspired, you get inspired.

Eika: Yup. I'll probably churn something out tomorrow too.

Clara: Review!