I do not own Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. I do own Core and her back story and the parts of the plot that aren't in the game. This fic spawned largely from my dissatisfaction with the ending of the game. It was an awesome game and I didn't want it to end. So I decided to write a fic. It's rated for language and violence mostly, but also for some sexual scenes.

Enslaved: Marks of the Past.
Chapter Three: Complications.

It took a moment, but Core finally calmed down enough to let go of Monkey and realize that Trip was not, in fact, her sister Bo. She unwrapped herself from Monkey, the soft soles of the boots she'd been given while in the Pyramid world making no noise as she dropped to the platform; her cheeks were flushed a little with embarrassment, but her mouth was split in a wide grin, eyes full of disbelief. Core had never been one for extreme displays of emotion—beyond anger, that is—but she couldn't seem to unwind all the way. She remained standing close to Monkey, taking comfort from his familiar presence; one hand remained on his forearm. Neither had recovered from the shock of seeing each other again.

"Monkey," she breathed, blue-green eyes sparkling with tears she'd never shed. She opened her mouth to say something else, but was cut off by Trip.

"Who are you?" she asked, eyes narrowed slightly. The redhead was rubbing her arm, where the first signs of a bruise were already visible.

Core blinked, her normal countenance taking over the emotionally charged one. Her face became stoic and her eyes darkened. "My name is Core and I'd be happy to do the whole introductory spiel later, but can we get out of here first?" She looked around and shook herself slightly. "I don't want to be around here anymore than I have to. I'm going to find my things."

Without waiting for a reply or confirmation of any kind, Core started walking back along the platform towards the only door out of the massive room, her movements revealing tightness in her shoulders and legs. There were already other slaves pouring out the exit, a veritable flood of people seeking the fresh air and freedom they'd been denied for so long; those who were mourning the loss of their life inside Pyramid's memories were not running for the door, seemingly rooted to their place, clutching at their masks and sobbing loudly. Core ignored everything and just pushed through the crowd, not caring when she knocked a couple people over. She was after her freedom and that was the only thing on her mind. When she realized that Monkey and Trip were not following her however, she turned on her heel and stared at them, the brightness of her blue-green eyes visible even across the distance.

"Who is she Monkey?" Trip asked, making sure it was clear how put-off she was.

The blond man shrugged, his eyes focused at the other end of the platform, hands balled into fists at his sides. "Someone I thought was dead," he said quietly before starting towards Core.

Trip felt the urge to scream, but she swallowed it and followed the other two. There was nothing to be gained by walking off on her own.

Core led the way through the crowd, her blue-tipped, blonde dreadlocks visible amongst the dark colours of the jumpsuits. At the moments when Monkey and Trip drew close to Core around the other slaves, they heard her mumbling to herself, saying things like "gotta get the fuck out of here," "wanna run" and "need my things, need my things," but she didn't respond when the others asked her where her things were. She seemed to be in a sort of trance, focused on escaping, on leaving Pyramid, and everything else was pointless to her. She had gotten over the shock of seeing Monkey again, and now she was thinking about something else. Core had been accused of having a one-track mind many, many times. So Monkey and Trip just followed, hoping she knew where she was going. Eventually, she stopped moving through the main hallway and veered off.

"Core," Monkey barked. "Where are you going?"

"Get my things."

How she knew where her things were was beyond Monkey or Trip, but they didn't ask questions. Evidently, they weren't going to leave Core here to fend for herself, so they might as well stay with her.

They found Core in a small storage room, down a small hall, filled with clothes and trinkets people would have had on them when they were taken by the slavers. Why the slavers never threw anything out was a question that could never be answered now that Pyramid was dead. Her jumpsuit was unzipped and hanging around her hips. She had pulled on a black tank top that showed scars along her arms, the back of her shoulders and across her lower back. She was digging through a shelf, throwing things to either side, probably looking for the rest of her things. Monkey and Trip stepped back into the hall to wait for her to finish.

Trip slid down to sit on the floor with her back against the wall and debated asking Monkey who she was again, what the story was around her. She didn't think she'd get a different answer, so she didn't bother asking, but she wanted to. It was clear there was history between Core and Monkey, a deep and heated history, and Trip wanted to know what it was, wanted to know when they'd met, if they were friends or more, where they'd met, why they had similar scars... She had feelings for Monkey and she thought he knew that, but apparently everything they'd been through had vanished with Core's appearance, vanished in the face of the past they shared. Trip sighed heavily and put her head back against the wall, eyes closed, afraid of what this discovery meant for her and Monkey journeying together, wherever they were going to go.

Before any words could be said though, Core emerged from the storage room. She had added a pair of tight, bright blue pants, patched with black squares of a different fabric, a pair of fingerless gloves and the equivalent of fingerless gloves for her feet: a piece of thick fabric that went around the middle of her foot and connected to a heavy belt around her ankle, but left the heel and toes bare. There was also a heavy belt around her hips, with something that looked suspiciously like Monkey's staff hooked to the back. The similarities between the way Monkey and Core dressed was not lost on Trip.

"Okay, let's get out of here now," she said, mind refocused on escaping.

Core started walking and Monkey fell in step, helping Trip up as he passed. The trio rejoined the torrent of people—they were still coming? How many slaves were there?—and, in silence, made their way towards the brightness of outside. Cries of joy announced their arrival.

Core started running.

She ran out into the light and sand and laughed, turning a smiling face into the sun.

And then she collapsed.

Monkey jogged to her side and crouched beside her form.

"Is she okay?" Trip grudgingly asked.

"Yeah. She's probably just exhausted or overwhelmed or something." Monkey rose to his feet and slung the unconscious woman over his shoulder. "Let's keep going."

Trip stood a few feet away from Monkey and Core. "Where?" she asked. "Where are we going now?"

Monkey shrugged. "Why don't you use your dragonfly to find us a river or something?"

Trip almost did scream that time.

Author's Note.

Seriously, I never expected this fic to get the response it has! I mean, I'm thrilled but a little floored. I'm super glad everyone seems to like it.

Just a note about the last chapter: when Trip commands Monkey to help her, I realize she wouldn't have done that really, but I chose to have her use the command because she was so shocked by Core's sudden appearance, that she relapsed. Panic makes people do weird and out of character things. Hopefully that's clear.

Anyways, please enjoy.

Next Chapter: Out in the Sand.