Rose of Anarchy
Disclaimer: I do not own Dishonored. Dishonored is owned by Arkane Studios.

She coughed as the masked man pulled her head back and poured a red liquid down her throat. It had a sharp taste. She had suspicions it wasn't medicine like the broad-built one had promised, but having witnessed the zombie-like plague herself made it seem more likely that they were being truthful. The sky had the glow of morning but clouds covered the sun, making everything as gloomy as it was cold.

The broader masked man had taken her to another roof, of some broken down building this time, where they met a third masked man. It was almost like a substitute court yard. She had no idea what they were going to do, and her escape attempt before had failed.

Since the rooftop was covered in splinters, she was grateful she had thought to put her shoes back on in the confinement.

"That's enough, Chester. She doesn't need a full vial." The other masked man muttered to the broad one. His voice was deep, and she recognized him as the one that had stopped the one called Alexsander from assaulting her. She noticed his posture was strict and ever tense, like that of an official.

"Very well, Thomas. But I would still like to continue monitoring her for a while, to see if she begins to develop any signs." The broad masked man's voice was also deep, but he had a softer manner of speaking.

"Let's get started then." The one called Thomas spoke. He flicked his head and Chester vaporized in a wisp of black, reappearing to sit down on a beam of wood above them. She blinked, unable to get used to the mysterious power. Alexsander jolted back a couple paces. "This is a joke." He grumbled. What were they planning?

Rosemary tensed as Thomas redirected his attention to her. "I have a task for you. You are about to take a test. If you pass, you might get something out of us. If you don't, we will imprison you, and that could potentially lead to your death."

She found herself shrinking back, but he shoved her forward with his palm, and pointed at Alexsander. "If you can hit him once, you pass." Thomas slipped a vial of blue liquid in her hand, and she looked down at it, and then at Alexsander. How could she do that? He had the ability to teleport!

Thomas backed up from her, blinking up to sit beside Chester. "The time starts now. Think quickly and on your feet." He called down from the beam.

Alexsander chuckled and she watched his form dissipate, jumping when she heard is voice behind her. "You wont be able to do it." He warped again as she spun around swinging the vial clumsily. A harsh blow from his boot hit her stomach and she cried out, crumpling to the ground.

"Alexsander, this is tag. You're not allowed to attack her." Thomas scolded irritably. Alexsander scoffed, and Rosemary sprang around again, aiming to jab the vial in his throat. "Yeah?" He dodged, and jumped back out of her reach, stirring up dust.

She clutched her stomach, and gave a war cry as she dove straight at him again. Another warning blow landed against her shoulder as he teleported again. She flung her head around, and turned in circles trying to see where he had gone.

"You know, unlike rats, using your possession on people won't kill them. Now, where would he hide?" Chester hinted from above. The area was surrounded by the broken remains of whatever building stood before. That was good information, and it brought her some relief. She hoped this test didn't have a time limit.

Relying on her gut, she darted off towards one of the staircases and started down it. That Alexsander acted arrogant, and seemed like the type that liked showing off. She wondered if his intention really was to hide. Either way, he was messing with her.

She gritted her teeth as a throbbing dizziness rushed to her head. How long had it been since she had eaten? She tried to block it out and focus, her chest heaving as she inhaled the foul air. Would he make any sound if she listened carefully? Who were these people anyway? Rouges? A mob syndicate?

She paused with thoughts of fear running through her mind. She had to catch this guy. Or was there still a chance for her to escape them?

Suddenly she heard the snap of wood below her and jolted down the next set of stairs. No one was there as she looked around and above her, but the leg of a rotting chair had been snapped off. So he was toying with her. It hadn't taken him long either, so perhaps that meant he was impatient too? Was there any way she'd be able to take advantage of that?

She walked down the final set of stairs and touched down on the rocky ground. A stream of sewer water trickled near her ankles. Even though he could teleport she still had the ability to posses stuff. She was tired from the rat before, but she still had the strength to do it again. She had a strange thought enter her mind as the vial of blue liquid swished in her grip. Was that what it was for? She worked the cap off and with hesitation took the risk of drinking it. Energy surged through her instantly, like a battery.

She heard a squeak and after tucking the empty vial into the front of her dress, turned her attention back to surveying the ground for rats. She had to surprise him in some way. Maybe she could climb up and be the one to hide somewhere until he got impatient and came out. It didn't seem like she could land a blow on him out in the open where there was a lot of space to move. Even so, the thought of being in a tight space with him didn't sit well with her.

After a while of searching she came across a group picking at the remains of a fish carcass. She gathered her power and flowed into a brown one, wobbling slightly as she adjusted. She slipped into the shadows and scurried up the side of the building.

Where on earth would he be?

Deciding to change tactics, perhaps even find a way to escape, she crawled in through an open window. On the other side was a room with bookcases, and a doorway on either side. Not exactly a tight space, but it was better than what she had come across so far, and she would consider it. She crawled up one of the bookcases and hid at the top, slipping into the shadows again. After a while, her rat possession wore off. She nudged it's dead body in the corner with her elbow guiltily.

Hiding gave her time to observe the room. It was dry and swept, and just looked used. So these buildings were actually inhabited. Probably as the masked men's base. Was she even allowed in here? She hoped they wouldn't be too mad if they found out.

Suddenly she heard laughter below her and jumped. Alexsander was slumped on the wall next to the window. "Is this really your best? Are you really taking this test seriously or are you a snooping spy?"

With a nervous breath she focused her energy and tried to posses him, but as she lunged he stepped aside and she crashed against the wall. Slumping, she wrapped her arms around her head as she groaned with pain.

His laughter continued, a piercing sound to her throbbing head. Her vision was a disoriented rush, and it felt like murder when she jerked her head up. He was so close. Right in front of her. She shot her fist forward and he caught her wrist, twisting it. She yelped, buckling forward.

He was so close. She had it, this was her moment. She just need to... She just needed...

Rosemary clenched her teeth and summoned all the will she had, chaneling it. Alexsander sensed it and let go of her, jumping back, but she was already on the move and hurled herself into his body.

She let out a gasp of shock, but it wasn't through her mouth. It was his, encased in a thick, suffocating mask. It creeped her out to no end, to think she was operating another's body. Let alone the one of the guy who tried to assault her. She tried to push it out of her mind, and flexed his finders and then his legs, testing out the newly-found strength. She then woozily gripped the window, crawling through awkwardly with a bigger body.

His feet were bigger so she tripped as she tried to walk back towards Thomas and Chester, but she was startled as she realized she was loosing control sooner than she anticipated. She found herself getting shoved out, and she landed on her knees with a thud.

Alexsander flopped down exhaustively and his hand went to his mask to tug it off. Sweaty red hair stuck out and his back was to her and he vomited on the wood. "Damn bitch." he coughed.

Thomas and Chester both materialized to watch the scene. "You pulled it off." Chester said, sounding amused. Rosemary let her shoulder relax, relief washing over her. Yes, she had pulled it off. She actually had! Even with his cheating! She wouldn't be imprisoned or killed. But what awaited her now?

Alexsander turned and glared first at Rosemary and then up at the other two masked men with an angry face, and then grabbed his mask and stood up to be on the same level as them. "I better get to eat something now."

"Yes, you're dismissed to get something from the storage. But be ready in an hour for patrols." Thomas said sternly, trying very hard to keep his breathing even and remain composed.

"What?" Alexsander paused accusingly.

"You did not follow my orders again. So you will go without rest." Alexsander looked like he was going to say something, or more snap it, but he just threw up his hands and stomped past.

"He's like a bratty teenager." Chester remarked softly when he was out of hearing range. He patted Thomas' shoulder to try and calm him down. "You let him rile you up so easily."

Thomas sighed, nodding tiredly, "Yes, I know."

He then leaned down to address Rosemary. She found herself cringing away from his presence. "You passed the test and proved yourself useful, so there is no chance of us hurting you now. You don't have to fear that." His spoke calmly.

"Alright." Rosemary said with uncertainty. He grabbed her arm and tugged her up, and she just went along with it, letting him lead her with slow steps to god knows where, trembling and exhausted from everything that had happened.

"Your name girl?" Chester asked, walking beside them. He sounded friendly, but wasn't really looking at her, more observing the mark on her hand.

She looked uncomfortably off the the side, hesitant to give it, but then decided that it wasn't really something she needed to keep secret. "Rosemary."

"Alright." Chester nodded thoughtfully. "We still need to interrogate you, Rosemary, before you start serving Daud."

"And that is what you promised I'd get out of this?" She snapped, feeling a sudden burst of anger break through her fatigue. They stopped walking, and Thomas' grip tightened on her arm in warning.

"Your life is what you got out of it. You're also not a prisoner."

"Yeah, I see." Rosemary whispered, slumping her head in dismay. A servant, not actual freedom. "I get how you guys work now."

I'm actually kinda proud of this chapter. I just did this all in one go, and that's writing more than I usually do, which is good. My updating pace has still remained pretty inconsistent, but honestly school just drains me. For those waiting for the Outsider's, appearance he will come into the story, it's just not the right time yet. As for Corvo, I'm a bit puzzled as to how I'm going to write him, but I'll figure something out.

- Graceful Peony