"The Death Arcana", Alis says.
Amy puts her hands over her head, "Does that mean I'm gonna d-die", she asks shakily.
Alis smiles and places her hand on Amy's head, "Not at all", she says, "It means the end of one thing and the beginning of another".
Amy stares at the card intensely, the skull staring into the distance, a chill crawls down her spine.
The door opens with a gust of wind following soon after. Marsh walks through the door and places his hands on his lower back. After leaning back, a muffled crack resonates through the room and Marsh's shoulders slump down. Amy runs up to him and leaps into his arms as he smiles and twirls her around. "Did you find anyone today", Alis asks.
Marsh frowns and then looks at Amy, "No one is looking at the moment", he says.
Amy smiles and twirls herself, "That's fine, I like hanging out with you more", she says.
Marsh fidgets with his hands, "Well I was thinking about…"
Alis walks towards him, "What are you thinking", Alis asks
Marsh looks at Amy and fidgets, "Well maybe I could…"
Alis turns, "You can't even take care of yourself"
Marsh rubs the back of his head, "Maybe, but I can't just…"
Alis puts a finger over his mouth, "So once again I guess I'll have to have your back because you're getting in way over your head".
Marsh smiles and holds her hand, "…Thanks".
Amy looks up at the two holding hands before Marsh turns to her, "Amy, how would you like it if we…"
Chapter 7: Cage of the Body, Cage of the Heart
With every gulp, the cold metal of her collar chills her neck. Amy fidgets with the ring, pulling and thrashing to get it off, but to no avail. (I'm so powerless), Amy thinks as the rattles the metal bars surrounding her. The oversized bird cage shakes and slides as Amy punches the bars with all of her might.
"You're gonna make this much noise after we gave you such a nice dress", the voice asks.
Amy turns to see the green creature with a single horn, the woman that put her here, Zeena. Amy simple glares at her and sits down in the cage, her new puffy black dress cushioning her seat. Zeena approaches Amy's cage and places her hand her Amy's chin, "Your eye looks better today, can you see out of it", she asks. "Yeah", Amy replies. The room was a deep red with red curtains, red carpet, and golden trim. In the middle of the red marble floor was Amy, trapped on the only island in a sea of lava. Zeena grabs a tray and places it in front of the cage, "Bon Appetite", she says before throwing a heavy red sheet on the cage.
Amy can barely see the tray dimly illuminated from inside the bars. She reaches through the bars and lifts the lid off the tray sending scents of fresh fruits, toast, scrambled eggs, and strawberry jam into the air. "This isn't how you feed prisoners", Amy says as she reaches her fork through the bars and begins eating. Amy grabs a sugar pack a places it into a pile next to her, "Three days", she says. It has been three days since she last saw the outside world. In that time she has been dressed in fancy clothes and fed fine food, but none of her questions had been answered with one exception. Blaze and Silver were no longer in this city, but she knew nothing of their safety or imprisonment. As the footsteps of Zeena become distant, Amy stands in the dark cage and focuses her energy towards the bottom. It lifts for a moment and glides about an inch before clacking back down. The collar around her neck beeps and glows red before returning to a soft blue light scheme.
The soft blue color of her collar shines in Amy's tired eyes. "If he were here", Amy whispers, "I wish he were here". "Everything comes so easily to him, he's smart, and strong, and fast, and cool, and...", a single tear falls onto her lap," and I might never see him again". Amy closes her eyes, trying to hold back tears before a voice inside shouts to her. "Thrust with your palm open!". Shadow's voice echoes through her head, " Use your whole body, and try to strike at an angle". Amy's heart begins beating faster as she remembers her his serious face turning to a blush, "And please remember to...put your clothes away...it's not proper to leave them laying about". Her hands clasp her mouth, cheeks puffing to hold back her laughter as she remembers Shadow's embarrassment. Amy stands up and flexes with bounding energy, "I'm done waiting around", she says with focused eyes and a clenched fist.
Amy rattles her cage once more, toppling it on its side. The sheet slides off slightly allowing Amy to see around the room. Like a hamster in a wheel, she begins to roll the cage around the room, searching for anything that she could use. Amy rolls towards the curtains pulling one aside to see the outside world. Her stomach drops seeing the entire city of lights below, way down below. The city must have been at least forty stories down, much to far down for her to simply drop out. Looking at the glass, Amy sees herself for the first time in days. Eye a little swollen, but otherwise healing up from her fight. Her outfit was much more elaborate when she saw the entire ensemble, What seems to be a large black doll's dress with blue trim and lace, topped with a blue bow. Amy stared deeper into her reflection and sees someone move behind her.
"That cage doesn't just keep you in, sweetheart", Fiona says while spinning a large set of keys around her finger. Fiona takes out a remote and presses a large button on the center. Suddenly the window begins to open, the wind blowing on Amy face as she rolls away from the opening. "I've got 10 minutes of playtime with you", Fiona taunts, "No one else on this floor but you and me for 10 minutes".
BAM
Fiona's fist rests against the bars, "It keeps all the bad things in the world out". Fiona begins walking towards the food tray, "Getting chewed out was almost worth getting to see you crawl like this". Fiona picks up the thermos of liquid and walks back to the cage, "Almost". Fiona open the top and pours the liquid onto Amy's dress, "Whoops", she says as she shakes the last of it on Amy's face. Fiona's face grins widely as she drops the thermos and rolls Amy's cage across the room. Fiona watches Amy scramble to stop the rolling and laughs as she approaches. Fiona places her leg forward to stop the cage. Amy grips Fiona's ankle before a swift claw rips at her hand, "Don't. TOUCH. ME.", Fiona growls before kicking the cage. Amy's cage rolls over her food tray before stabilizing, Fiona approaches the cage and throws a punch through the bars. Amy shifts but is hit on the cheek before her hair gets grabbed.
Fiona glares at Amy's wincing face and slams her into the bars twice before her own arm is gripped and the bars fill her vision. The sound of Fiona's face meeting the bars reverberates throughout the room as she recoils and holds her face. "GRRRRAAAH", Fiona yells, brandishing a short sword, similar to the ones used by her guards. The blade thrusts through the bars, nicking Amy and tearing her dress. Amy slides and shifts, avoiding a direct stab or slash while Fiona becomes increasingly frantic. The cage's size allows Amy to shift from one side to the next while Fiona climbs and circle around to stab, "Let's see you stop this", she growls as she covers the cage with the sheet, submerging Amy in darkness. Amy tries to follow the sound of Fiona before hearing her laugh from above.
A slit of light forms in the sheet as Fiona begins stabbing slowly from the bottom of the cage towards the top. Amy crams into the opposite side as far as she can go as the knife stabs begin to advance towards her.
Stab, Stab, Stab…GLUCH
"AUGH", Amy cries as Fiona feels resistance against her blade. Fiona laughs and twists the blade harshly before pulling it up. A red viscous juice drips downward as Fiona licks her blade, "This tastes incredible", she moans. Fiona moves the sheets to see Amy gripping her chest as red soaks her gloves,"You really are a sweet thing, right to your co-", she says as her arm is gripped and her jaw meets the bars at terminal velocity. The sword flings into the air from the impact, landing across the room. Fiona's eyes focus as she see a metal tray with a hole in Amy's other hand with jelly smeared on it. Amy grips her against the cage and begins to roll over. Unable to pull away, Amy rolls the cage onto Fiona and swiftly strikes pinned opponent in her jaw, knocking her head against the floor. Fiona gasps and then stops moving, the only sound being shallow breathes.
"You've really got a glass jaw", Amy says while pulling off her keys. Six keys later, Amy rolls the cage and opens the door shambling slowly to the short sword in the corner. Amy straightens her self and wipes the strawberry jam off her gloves before running to the main door. Her heel catches on the tile and she trips, sliding towards the door. Amy throws the shoes off and places her ear to the door. "I don't hear anything yet", she says before dashing back to Fiona. Amy rolls the cage off and eyes her black boots, "Please be the same size as me", she says before removing both and trying them on. Foot odor aside, the boots are an OK fit and Amy quickly ties them before looking out the window. Amy looks at the vast city again, getting close enough for the wind to blow her skirt around.
Amy contemplates leaping, but the ring around her neck freezes her thoughts. Amy turns towards the hall and looks down to see an elevator, a restroom, and several unmarked rooms. Amy dashes towards the restroom and opens the door slowly. No voices can be heard from inside as Amy slowly enters and sees multiple showers and lockers inside. "So it's not a restroom", see says as she eyes the guard uniforms left upon the ground. Amy gulps and frowns as she picks up a discarded uniform, "It's all sweaty and gross", she says as she coughs a little.
Footsteps resonate in the room as a single guard enters. "Hey, slacker", he yells. A short guard quickly turns around and assumes a ready stance. The guard chuckles, "Heh, that's quite the stance you have", he says, "You watching those martial arts movies again". The short guard nods and eases her stance. "Hey we gotta get down town, we have those shades around the border again", the guard says. The short guard nods and stiffly walks out the door.
Amy breathes a sigh of relief as she walks down the halls in the guard uniform, tinted visor and even a high jacket to cover the collar. The main elevator arrives and Amy looks out the glass sides to see the city approaching below. On floor 4, a guard runs into the elevator, spilling his coffee on the floor. "Oh I'm so sorry, man", the guard says as he takes out napkins and tries to soak it up. "It's fine", Amy says on reflex, she covers her mouth immediately. The guard stares at her for a moment before standing up, "O-Oh I mean miss", he corrects, "We all kinda look the same in these outfits so it's hard to tell you know, but it's not like you look like a guy, unless you want to look like a guy, but I mean you look fine, AH and by fine I mean good like ok not like attractive AHHHH but I don't mean that you are unattractive because I can't really see what you look like unless you take your uniform off, butIdontwantyoutothinkIamaskingyoutotakeyouruniformoffbecausethatsaworkviolationandIrespectyousoevenifthatwasntaruleIwouldnt-".
Amy pats his shoulder, "Take a breath, man", she says as the elevator stops. As she walks through the lobby, Amy hears the soldier talking to himself, "Yes, I didn't even get nauseous that time".
Amy exits the tower doors and walks through the front garden. With her head clear and her eyes focused, Amy begins to walk the long path. Closer and closer towards freedom, almost out of reach of the guards. Amy holds her breath and walks forward to the sidewalk. All hairs stand at attention as a senior guard grabs her shoulder, "Hey kid", she commands. Amy slowly turns her head around, "If you go partying, don't come back with a hangover". Amy gives a shaky thumbs up and walks to the center of town.
Casino Night City
Pedestrians tumble and laugh as they shuffle into the nearby buildings. Machines lit up the streets with flashing lights, loud sounds resonating into the distance. She didn't know the communication frequency by heart, she didn't know how to get money for travel or even where this place was on a map. Amy was free, but now she was lost and alone in a strange city. (I would love to change, but this outfit is the only thing keeping me hidden), Amy thinks while scanning the streets for ideas. "I probably have a tracking chip in this outfit, this collar, or even planted in my skin", she whispers, "I can't head home if there is a chance it would blow up when I get back". Amy fidgets with the collar for a bit, the light covered by her uniform dimly lights up her chest.
"Shock it off? Have to prevent my skin from burning"
"Tear it off? Too much force would collapse my throat"
"Abilities are impaired so I can't tear it off that way either"
(If this is a tracker, then I might need to get some distance from this city).
Gambling parlors propagate the area with various lights and sounds flaring to the streets, blending into a electronic symphony over the laughter of drunken patrons. Through the congestion of the streets a voice calls to her, "Hey kiddo", a man calls to her. As she turns, a map is presented to Amy's hands, "Whatever you're looking for, we have it here". The small laminated sheet shows the floors dedicated to different machines and tables, "I recommend some blackjack, on the house" he says. Amy starts to walk away, but the man grabs her shoulder, "I think it would be in your best interest to play some black jack, miss", Amy grips his wrist in response before he leans in closer, "It might help you with your necklace issue". The man stares at himself through Amy's tinted visor, his hand comes free and she warily enters the casino floor.
"Howdy officer", the blue-green hedgehog lady stares at Amy and shuffles her cards, "This table is currently closed but I can play a practice match if you'd like". Two cards slide towards Amy, Jack and 4. "How about I teach you how to play this game", she says, "I'm not talking about the cards either". Amy taps the table and a card slides her way, "What does the collar do", the girl asks. Amy stays silent and looks at her cards before placing them down, "Why should I trust you", Amy asks. The girl sighs, "If I wanted you dead, arrested, or captured, I could do it at anytime", she brags, "I'm giving you the choice to scratch my back while I scratch yours". The dealer places a King and an Ace down, "I win, no matter what cards you have up your sleeve". Amy leaves her cards down and looks at the dealer, "It suppresses magic", she says as the dealer smiles wide. "Just what I'm looking for", the dealer says, "but I need you to play along for our next game". The girl leans in and whispers in Amy's ear.
30 minutes later
A large mammoth man in a striped suit enters through the front door surrounded by several body guards. The servers surround him and present champagne, snacks, and cigars as the man makes his way to the table with a grin. The moment he sits, the other patrons rise out of their seats and move away as he turns and laughs, "Hey why don't you stay awhile, I need a new mansion HahA". The dealer girl says nothing as the man's expression deflates, "I'm gonna stop coming here if no one has the balls to bet against me". A woman in a green dress with a rabbit mask moves towards the table, "May I join you", she asks. The man pulls out the seat for her and pushes her to the table, "Such a gentleman", she responds. The game begins and the woman places a little over three thousand dollars for her opening bid. The man replies with a bid of his own. After the cards are dealt, a faint red glow emits from the woman's necklace before she plays her cards.
21
21
21
The man turns to the lady, "Three perfect hands in a row is quite the lucky streak", he says casually as he eyes his Ace and Queen. The woman smiles as her collar does not beep for this hand, "I fold". The man raises a brow and collects his winnings. As the game continues the woman rises, "May I be excused to powder my nose", the woman says, the man nods and leans to two of his guards as they trail the woman. Once in the restroom, the easily corner her and grab her arms, "H-hey!" she shouts before the two guards pull at her necklace violently before a third guard enters, "Hey man she's probably gotta rich dad so don't leave any damage". The two guards hold her down before a third comes and holds a loud whirring device behind her head. A loud clank echoes in the room before the guard holds her necklace triumphantly, "Let's see how good you do without this to help you".
The woman returns to the table, holding her neck as the mammoth man grins, "Parched, my dear"? She says nothing and plays her cards, losing several hands in a row as the pile of chips builds on the man's side. "For my final bet, I will give you a chance to win back all your earning and then some", the man slides his chips to the center, "But If you lose, you must leave with me tonight". The woman shivers and looks to the dealer, with a nod and a sigh she accepts. The collar beeps and glows red as the man reveals his hand, 20, the woman reveals her own
21
Two fists slam on the table as the cards are revealed, "This thing is rigged, It used to beep on winning hands not on losing ones". The girl takes her chips as the dealer approaches, "Sorry sir, this table is for people that have money". The man snaps as his guards surround the dealer, casino guards in turn surround them. "I spend money here every week and this is how I am treated", the dealer walks closer to him and places a hand on his shoulder, "Seeing as the patron next to you was cheating, we will confiscate her winning and leave her to your care". The woman rises, "That wasn't part of the deal", she shouts as the dealer begins to scoop the chips into a bag. The dealer smiles and winks at her, "It's part of the game, dearie", the woman grabs her wrist. Guards grab for their weapons before the woman shouts, "Hey! This dealer was cheating", the woman looks towards the mammoth man and pulls cards from her sleeve, "I suspected as much!", he says. The dealer drops the bag and backs up, "Hey wait a minute", she starts as whispers of patrons fill the air.
"She cheated them out of their money"
"I thought this was a nice place"
"That pretty dirty to do that to a regular"
The dealer glares at the woman in green and tears her mask off, "THIS GIRL IS WANTED BY THE MILITARY FOR A HUGE REWARD", the dealer yells. Amy looks at the room and grabs the table tightly while focusing her mind and reducing its gravity. With a flip of the table, chips and cards fly through the air as patrons scramble to gather as many as they can while Amy dashes through the door and into the street. Guards begin the pour outwards towards her before she jumps into an open cafe window, running past the kitchen and out the back door. Footsteps begin to sound off in the distance as Amy runs up the fire escape and slides from the roof to the next building. The guards begin to follow her movements down below as she runs from roof to alley. "I feel so heavy", Amy sighs as she catches her breath behind a dumpster. The guards run by and begin to shine lights towards the rooftop before passing the hiding spot. With nose clenched and breath held, Amy scrambles into the adjacent alley towards the front of the city.
Amy tears her dress and ties it up to her waist to resemble a shorter skirt. Staying to the dimly lit alleys, she comes across the edge of city. Two large armored vehicles block the exit with a dozen guards watching by entrance. Another patrol pulls up on the side as they begin looking at the city borders, the city itself serving as a large searchlight. Amy ducks down and scans the outer barricade, being sandwiched between guards leaves very few options. "Waiting it out might be the best-", "I FOUND HER!", and officer interrupts as Amy dashes towards the barricade. Officers behind her close the distance before Amy meets the barricade, a vehicle swerves in front of her to halt her advance.
(This is stupid) Amy's hands straighten in front of her
(This is really stupid) Amy runs faster towards the vehicle and jumps forward
(THIS IS SO UNBELIEVABLY STUPIIIIIDD) Amy's inner voice screams at her before she slides hard on the ground into the side of the zero-g vehicle into the barricade. The guards scramble to avoid the impact as the van bounces off the sides before floating above the gate as Amy releases her hold, bringing the iron down on the entrance. Slipping between the two cars, Amy runs out past the entrance of the city towards the open road as several guards struggle to climb around the blockade. Amy turns to see the well lit road to freedom ahead of her as shadows begin mounting along the ground. "Jeez, my legs feel like they're going to give out any second now that all I have to do is run", she pants and breathes heavily as the shadows close in on her. The footsteps begin to increase in pace and the sounds of ragged breathes fill Amy's ears along with a piercing roar. The soldiers had stopped pursuit, something else was following her.
A large claw swipes into Amy's side, causing her to grip her wound and slow her pace before a shadow leaps past her body and turns in front of her. With the legs of a lizard, the arms of a lion, and the head of a shark, a smaller variation of the beast emits a dark malicious smog. Amy stops in her tracks and turns to see no other guards following her, only the intense light emitted from the city illuminating the surrounding area. "The last thing between me and freedom", Amy thinks, clinching her fist. The creature roars and pounces at Amy and pins her to the ground. Claws swipe at her head and teeth grasp her her throat as she uses her arms to charge energy into the creature before placing her foot under it's stomach. With a swift extension of the leg, the creature is punted high into the air, floating above the trees into the sky. "It won't last for long, but it gives me some time to get a bit of distance", she says, continuing along the road in a stumbling manner. The blood begins to soak into her side turning the green dress into a dark red and the white gloves into an equal maroon shade.
"AUGH", Amy yelps as a claw opens up her back, causing her dress to droop below her shoulders. Amy falls over and rolls onto her back to see a second beast staring down at her as the first quickly descends from the sky, landing gracefully on the ground before approaching her. Amy focuses her mind on creating an intense field of gravity, but her muscles flinch and her side begins to seize in pain. "I can't stop here", she pants, "I want to live. I want to return home. I want to..."
I want to see him again
The beasts fly back, slamming against the road and continuing to roll several meters backwards. A white jacket flutters in the strong breeze blowing towards the beasts as they regain their footing. The wind howls seconds before the beast let out their own howls of pain from the intense impact to their bodies. A loud a typhoon pushes the beasts away into the darkness as the figure turns around to Amy. A silhouette enters the moonlight in front of Amy as she is gently picked up under her knees and back. She shakily manages to say, "I knew you would come for me..."
"You can always count on me, Ames"
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Don't you remember me?
Wasn't I most precious to you?
Did you forget me because you found a new friend?
You would happen to care for him, would you?
Little Birdie?