Whumptober 2020 Day 11: Psych 101—Defiance/Struggling/Crying
Word Count: 855
Author: Katie/Ally (aquietwritingcorner/realitybreakgirl)
Rating: T
Characters: Sheska
Summary: Sheska is abducted by some men who want her to write down Dr. Marcoh's research notes. Knowing what they contain, she refuses. But her refusal comes at a price.
Notes: Heavily based off of some ideas that canisfuria tossed around a while back on discord. I wanted to play in it a bit! Important things to note are: Sheska and Fuery are married and have kids, and this is meant to be part of something longer, eventually.

Defiance through Tears

Sheska was scared out of her mind. She was scared, and she was certain that these men could tell. She thought that they thrived on it, from the looks of them. They were foreigners, Aerugonians, if she recognized the language correctly, and they had taken her, kidnapped her off the street. Why? Because she had information that they wanted.

She trembled a bit as the leader walked around her, where they had her at a desk, a chain holding her to it so she couldn't run away. So far, he hadn't hurt her. She had been here two days, and, so far, she hadn't been hurt. They had tried to cajole her into writing down the information that they wanted, they had tried to bribe her, to ply her with gifts and promises. She refused every time. Why? Because they wanted her to write down Dr. Marcoh's research.

Sheska knew what that research was. She hadn't when she had written it down for the Elrics all those years ago, nor had she for many years afterward. It was only in a chance conversation between her and Kain that the information of just what she knew had come to light, and it had freaked both of them out. They had agreed that it was dangerous information and she had promised to never write it all down again—although they did try a few recipes, just to see if they were any good.

But she had no idea how these men had found out about both where the research was contained, and that she had it.

"Please, Ms. Sheska," the man said, his tone kind, plying, "All we want you to do is write down a simple cookbook for us, and then we'll let you go."

Sheska just stared at him.

He sighed. "Sheska… you're trying my patience." There was an edge to his voice now, and Sheska didn't like it one bit. She shifted in her seat. "We have tried to be kind to you, to be nice to you, and you won't do this one thing for us. Why?"

Sheska just shook her head the tinniest bit.

He let out a breath. "Sheska—If you do not write down what we ask of you, we will have to get rough. You don't want us to get rough with you. I promise you, it will not be pretty, and you will be in a great deal of pain."

It was terrifying, what he said, but she wasn't going to write it down. She knew what the main ingredient in a philosopher's stone was, and she wasn't about to put her children in the path to be sacrificed, not to mention all of the other people.

"I'll ask you again," he said, leaning close. Almost all of the charm was gone out of his voice now. "Write down for us Dr. Marcoh's notes."

"N-no," she said defiantly, albeit quietly.

All of a sudden there was the sound of something whistling through the air, and then she cried out in pain as her legs were struck. What was that?

"Ms. Sheska," the leader said again. "You want to write down those notes. If not, you will experience more and more beatings until you do. Give us the notes."

She was shaking she was so scared, but Sheska shook her head. "No. No, I won't write it down."

Whap! There was another hit, and she cried out.

"The notes!"

"No!" whap.

"The notes!"

"No!" whap.

"Give us the notes!"

"No!" whap.

She was sobbing, crying by this time, but still she refused. Her kids were at the forefront of her mind, and she'd rather endure this then give these men the knowledge that could turn her children into philosopher's stones.

The man lost his temper.

He reached out, twisted his hand in her hair, and drug her up by it. Sheska cried out and struggled to get away, but her damaged legs didn't help her out much. "You will tell us," he hissed. "And if you don't, things will get worse for you."

He said something that Sheska couldn't quite catch, and then two of the other men were holding her up while another beat her legs mercilessly with that cane. She didn't even try to hold it together. She cried out, sobbed, and still struggled to get away. After about a minute, the man stopped, and threw her on to the bed in the room. The leader stood over it.

"You will write his notes for us," the leader said, twisting his hand in her hair once again. "Even if it means beating you every night until we do." He let go of her hair, pushing her head down firmly. She dared not move or say anything until after they had left.

And then she curled in, crying out at the pain this caused her bleeding and bruised legs.

"Kain…"

He had to know she was missing by now. He and his team would have already started looking. So would Investigations. He would come soon. They all would. She just had to hang out a little while longer.