M-A-G-E-N-T-A

After dinner Melody returned and helped me assist Irene back to her room. "Do you think she'll be okay? She won't choke or anything will she?"

"I doubt it! She looks fine to me!"

"What…? She can't even speak or move on her own! How can she be fine?"

Melody's gaze darkened and she frowned. "Just…she's fine okay…" With a twitch in her cheek she walked away. I walked into Irene's room helping her get into her pajama's and tucking her into bed, making sure to face her away from the TV. The same sickening smell was in her room as well and it seemed to be having a negative effect on her. She gagged and attempted to speak but nothing coherent came out of her.

"Irene, let's get you some fresh air…" I muttered, it wasn't time for bed yet so it was okay to walk around the grounds.

I helped her up and slowly we walked out to the Garden barely anyone was out here, most were still in the dining hall or in their rooms. "Let's sit here." I led her to the least perfumed flower bed and sat her on the grass. She looked ahead as drool rolled down her chin. Quickly I cleaned it up. I wanted to cry. I wanted to attack the Priest who did this to her. I wanted to hurt them for taking away Irene and her husband. "Irene I'm sure Joseph is fine. He'll be back soon I swear it."

"uaaaa…" She grunted.

"Hey." I smiled gently at her. "Want me to braid your hair?"

"uaaggglll."

"O-okay." I took it as a yes and slowly I began to braid her pretty brown hair sticking some flower petals making it look pretty. "Irene…why were you so jealous of my eyes? Joseph had mint colored eyes as well…"

"Well probably because he was her husband." Ji Sung walked up to us. He looked at Irene and shook his head. "Nothing but an empty shell now. The only thing she can feel is the effects of the REJUVENATOR."

"Can she understand us?" We both spoke quietly.

"As far as I know she can. I bet it's eating her up inside that she can't communicate with us. I bet she has something good to say." He looked at her with great pity.

"What did they do?" I asked even though I already knew the answer. I just prayed that she could recover.

"Took out a large chunk of her brain." He ran his index fingers along her temples and my shoulders shook in rage. "I think they gave it to one of the Priests to analyze. She's nothing but a soft skull now."

I bit my lip holding in the tears. I may not had known Irene long but…but I couldn't leave her alone like this. "She needs to be taken to a doctor…"

"Good luck with that." Ji Sung sighed as he looked up to the stars. "Most of them die."

I paused. "She's gonna die too you know…"

"Yup."

"And the High Priestess just let's this happen?"

Ji Sung sighed. "We're ordered to never tell her about any deaths. She hate's hearing about it. I really don't know why. Probably because it means her work is flawed. At least my work is perfection."

"She's gonna die…" I finished her braid. "Irene you look so pretty."

"waaa uaaaaa…..uaa…"

Ji Sung looked away, I could see a look of anguish in his eyes.

"Hey!" We turned to see Melody running up to us.

Ji Sung clicked his tongue and ran off. "Wait!" I called out to him but he had already disappeared back into his wing.

"Aw! I was hoping we could all talk! Awww! Look at Irene's hair!"

"Melody…I thought you went to your room."

"I did! But then I thought poor Irene needed some help! So I went to her room and I thought AAAAH WHERE IS SHE!? And then I went looking and here she is!"

I flinched at Melody's loud voice. "I- I see."

"Yeah!" She looked back.

The TV clicked on and the High Priestess smiled at her prisoners. "It is now time for bed. Please have fantastic sleep."

"Aw! She's so great! She helped all of us so much!"

"What? How?" I glared.

Melody frowned. "She really did help all of us…"

Melody helped me get Irene to her feet. I noticed something on the ground a small, thin, perfume bottle with a note attached to it.

—This will help keep the smell at bay. Put it on the air vents, there's enough for you Irene for tonight.
—Charle

I looked up but Melody was already halfway to the Civic Wing. Running up to them and putting the bottle quickly into my red sash, I kept quiet as other Paradisian's swayed their way to their rooms, each one looking dazed. Melody waved goodbye as I helped Irene back into her bed. "Here." I put my pillow on the bars of the foot rest trying to block out the TV's blindingly bright light. I reached into my sash and sprayed the bottle on the metal of the air vent. In less than ten minutes the smell dissipated and I could think clearly again. Irene seemed to be feeling peaceful as well. I took a seat next to her and sighed. I just needed to make sure she wouldn't choke, or have a seizure or anything else. She wouldn't die…not yet at least. I took off my sash and felt my dress loosely hang on my body. Slowly I closed my eyes.

There was a click… then quiet footsteps…then a hushed whisper. "…not…sash…" My eyes snapped open. "oops." The whisper chuckled. "I woke her up." My eyes adjusted and I saw Charle standing by the bed. "He~y…" His soft voice sang out. "Remember me?"

"Charle?" I mumbled still waking up.

"Bingo!" He laughed quietly. "Know why I'm here?"

"Are you…a Descendent?"

"Ha ha ha… as if. No no I'm not here because of that… Look at you. You're not wearing your ANTI SEX sash…" He licked his lips.

I touched my waist, my sash, as well as Irene's was on the floor.

"Get away." I spoke normally.

"Aw…" He kept his voice to a whisper. "Don't be like that… You can't cry out because then the Arc Members will torture us both." He pointed at himself and gave a puppy dog look. "Me for filling my own desires and breaking the ANI SEX law…and you for not being in your room."

"They won't torture me for that."

"Oh? You're the expert here? You've lived her for what? A day?"

I stayed quiet and he chuckled softly. "Aw…well now be a good girl and spread your legs open. You really don't want to get tortured…"

"As if." I snapped.

"Ugh…and here I thought I hit the jackpot. I was coming here for that zombie and then I saw a girl who could actually moan my name. Who I could tell to stop being a naughty little thing…" His eyes darkened as he looked at the two of us with a look of hostile desire.

"Get out! How dare you take advantage of this woman. She can't even defend herself!" I spoke louder I was so outraged.

"Shut up." He glared and pulled out a knife. "Shut…up. It's your own fault for taking off your sash…heh…heh…heheheheheheeeeeeee! Really I wanna just slice it up. The magazines…they don't do it for me anymore!" He threw his head back laughing as he stabbed the knife into her hand. He didn't even seem to care as he pulled it out. It almost looked like he enjoyed it. "You were right about one thing doll… I may not be a Descendent but I know a great dealer…" He licked his lips. "C'mere doll… Get on the floor and spread those legs." He pulled me off the bed and sliced the knife down my arm. He may not be able to inflict pain on me but that doesn't mean one wrong slice couldn't kill me.

"She. Said. No!" A figure appeared out from the darkness and knocked Charle out with a large metal cup at base of his neck where his spine and cranium connected.

"Melody!?"

"I woke up to use the bathroom and I heard your voice." She looked at Charle with complete disgust. "This man is going to be reported to a Priest." She huffed. "It's people like him who were the reason I sought refuge here in Paradise. Damn Descendent's corrupting his mind!"

Suddenly Ji Sung ran into the room. "What happened? I saw a man wal-" He looked at Charle's body. "What the?" He picked up the knife. "What was he doing?"

"I don't know!" Melody spoke at her normal volume making Ji Sung jump. He obviously didn't see her when he ran in. She didn't seem like she wanted to discuss it.

Ji Sung eyed my waist. "Where's your sash?!"

"It's right there." I pointed to the floor as I gripped my bleeding arm.

"Idiot! Put that back on and never ever take it off! Dammit! You should be thanking her," he pointed at Melody, "for being here. Shit….Shit!" Ji Sung punched the wall. "I…if you…shit…" He picked up the sash and tied it tightly around my waist. "Keep this on! I can't always be there for you so at least this stupid piece of cloth will keep you safe."

Melody went to Irene and put her's back on. "Silly thing is still sleeping!"

Ji Sung forced me to look into his eyes. "Please…please don't do that again." His hands caressed my cheek as he stared intently hoping to get his point across.

Footsteps approached the room and Ji Sung immediately let go of my face. "What is going on here." A Priest's distorted voice filled the room. He was accompanied by an Arc Member.

"Belial." The Arc Member's mechanical voice spoke. "Explain."

"He was planning on raping these two women." Ji Sung spoke evenly.

The Priest looked at Charle and picked up a knife. "Descendent's…" Even the distortion couldn't hide his disgust.

"How fortunate you caught him for us." The Arc Member's gas mask goggled reflected the TV perfectly. "We shall inform Mortician."

"He shall be pleased." The Priest chuckled. "What are these children doing in here." He motioned to Melody and me.

"They were trying to protect their friend."

"What kind gestures." The Arc Member spoke. "However…you are both violating the rules. You must come to the Healing Ward."

"But-" I began to speak but Ji Sung quickly cut me off.

"If they hadn't been here, this woman would've been assaulted."

The Priest and Arc Member looked at each other. The Priest tapped his goggles. "Belial you've been in need of a de-cleansing as well."

"What!? But I!?"

"Since you never come quietly." The Priest pulled out the shock batons we saw them use on the Hell Spawn from his long cloak.

Ji Sung did resist. He yelled and cursed at them trying to keep them away. His eyes went mad and he thrashed about wildly breaking the TV with his fists. I cried for him to calm down and the Priest—gladly it seemed—raised his baton high above his head and smacked down on Ji Sung's shoulder. There was a definite CRACK sound and Ji Sung fell over by the sheer force of his shoulder breaking. The Priest raised the baton again as it electrified into blue sparks ready to give another painful blow.

"Stop!" I cried out as I ran to his body.

"Clearly this one has been dirtied. We must de-cleanse her quickly." The Arc Member pulled me away as I tried to shield Ji Sung.

"It's okay." Ji Sung smiled. "I can't feel pain…"

CRACK! Ji Sung spasmed along the floor and the Priest made a noise, almost like a laugh.

"Leave him alone! Stop! STOP IT!"

Melody stepped forward. "Stop! Just leave him alone!" She protested with me. Her face looked horrified and she was trembling.

"Defectors." The Arc Member growled. He pulled out a syringe and injected the both of us right in neck, barely missing my throat. As I felt darkness close in around me the last image I saw was Ji Sung's blood fly into the air and glisten on the baton as the Priest continued to beat him and Melody mouth the words 'We are independent.'